ISLAMABAD: The government has officially closed the process of Hajj 2026 application after receiving 118,600 applications across the country.
The Ministry has stopped accepting applications after an overwhelming response within just 17 days.
This year, the applications were accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, both through online and bank branches, which led to the quota being filled before time, surpassing previous years.
Forms for both long- and short-duration Hajj packages were submitted by applicants.
According to the ministry, the first installment covered half of the entire Hajj expenditures, with the second installment covering the remaining.
The applications will now be processed by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which will also provide the chosen pilgrims with additional instructions.
This year’s Hajj preparations are probably going to go more quickly because the procedure ended earlier than anticipated.
Hajj 2026 Cost
The federal cabinet has approved the Hajj Policy 2026 in its meeting on Wednesday, under which the government quota has been increased.
According to sources, the cabinet has increased the government quota by 10 percent since last year.
70 percent of the quota will be given to the government, while the remaining 30 percent will be given to private tour operators.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs had initially proposed a quota of 40% for government-sponsored Hajj pilgrims and 60% for private operators. However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, taking a personal interest in the matter, directed a review, which resulted in a 70:30 split in favor of the government scheme.
Sources further revealed that the cost of performing Hajj under the government scheme in 2026 is expected to be between Rs1.15 million and Rs1.25 million.
