Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf announced on Friday that about 25,698 pilgrims will be able to perform Hajj this year under the private scheme.
This sharp reduction follows thousands of revoked slots due to private operators’ failure to comply with Saudi Arabia’s booking rules and deadlines.
Saudi Arabia had allocated Pakistan a total Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims for 2025. Traditionally, this quota is split evenly between the government and private sectors.
However, the private sector’s share dropped drastically from 89,801 to just over 25,000 after failing to meet procedural requirements set by Saudi authorities, leaving more than 67,000 prospective pilgrims affected.
Yousaf said during a press conference that by February 14, only 3,600 pilgrims had submitted payments, but after a one-week extension, the number rose to 13,000.
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He also noted that while 904 private Hajj operators were registered with Saudi authorities based on the ministry’s list, many pilgrims made payments to unregistered operators, ignoring official guidelines. A committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will investigate the issue, Yousaf added.
He confirmed that Pakistani pilgrims would be transported by Pakistan International Airlines, Saudi Airlines, Air Sial, Airblue, and Serene Air.
Earlier this month, the ministry urged pilgrims to verify the authenticity of private tour operators before making payments and to rely only on the ministry’s official channels to avoid fraud.
Some registered private operators also failed to meet Saudi deadlines for payment, prompting Premier Sharif to secure an extension, which was granted.
The Hajj pilgrimage is expected to take place between June 4 and June 9. Nearly 89,000 Pakistanis are set to travel under the government scheme, with Pakistan’s Hajj flight operation having started on April 29. So far, 55,642 pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia via 244 flights.
