Govt to give pilgrims left out of Hajj this year priority next year

The government has announced that over 67,000 private Hajj pilgrims who were unable to perform Hajj this year will be given priority for Hajj 2026.

This decision came during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Religious Affairs, chaired by Malik Amir Dogar. Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Yousaf and other officials also attended the meeting.

Refunds and Future Priority

Amir Dogar directed the Ministry of Religious Affairs to refund the Hajj payments of the 67,000 private pilgrims and ensure they are accommodated in the next Hajj. Sardar Yousaf informed the committee that around 365 million riyals belonging to these pilgrims are still with Saudi authorities.

Private Hajj tour operators have also requested the government to give priority to these pilgrims next year.

The Minister further shared that 455,000 people have already registered for Hajj 2026, and the Prime Minister has ordered that priority must be given to those who missed their chance this year.

Efforts to Reduce Hajj Costs

The committee also discussed ways to make Hajj more affordable for Pakistani pilgrims. Some suggestions included:

• Conducting Hajj by ship to reduce travel costs.

• Avoiding luxury accommodations in Saudi Arabia to bring down expenses.

Officials said the Interior Minister and the Secretary of Religious Affairs are currently in Tehran exploring the possibility of Hajj by ship.

Additionally, the committee asked for a detailed comparison of Hajj costs in Pakistan and other countries like India, Bangladesh, and Iran.

This move is expected to help thousands of pilgrims fulfill their dream of performing Hajj while making the process more transparent and affordable in the future.

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