ISLAMABAD: In order to be eligible to participate in the Hajj in 2025, applicants must submit their applications by Tuesday (today). To date, the government has received approximately 54,000 applications.
Muhammad Umar Butt, a spokesman for the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, stated that they expect the government Hajj scheme’s quota to be fully subscribed by the end of the day and that the number of applications is projected to rise even more by midnight.
The official’s comments coincided with the ministry designating 15 banks to receive applications and payments from prospective Hajj pilgrims nationwide.
Butt further on the preparations for Hajj 2025, stating that the flight schedule will be finalized and that lodging in Madina will be booked in accordance with the flight schedules as soon as the application submission procedure, which started on November 18, is complete.
He added that Saudi Arabia would handle the logistics, including Maktab allocations, lodging, food, and transportation arrangements in the meantime.
Earlier, According to a Ministry of Religious Affairs official, as of Monday evening, 20,170 applications for the Government Hajj Scheme for 2025 had been received. The application procedure is still open at selected banks throughout the nation.
Applications for the Government Hajj Scheme will be accepted through December 3, whereas the voting is planned to take place on December 6.
Additionally, a special quota of 5,000 has been set aside for Pakistanis living abroad; applications will be considered in order of priority.
The ministry encourages all qualified candidates to apply before the deadline in order to accommodate a significant number of pilgrims. The Pakistani government promised a significant reduction in airfare for pilgrims making the Hajj in 2025 on November 23.
According to information, after a relief package that lowers airfares by $50 per person was recently announced, pilgrims participating in the federal government’s Hajj 2025 program will receive financial relief of Rs 1.24 billion.
This change brought the airfare for Hajj 2025 down from Rs. 234,000 per person to Rs. 220,000, a reduction of Rs. 14,000 from the previous year.
This initiative marks the second year in a row that pilgrims have been able to reduce the cost of their Hajj flights. This package has been approved by Saudi Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), and several other private airlines.
This humanitarian effort is anticipated to benefit about 89,605 pilgrims. According to the information, 40% of pilgrims will use PIA, and an additional 40%
