Pakistan says Saudi Arabia has granted additional 10,000 slots for private Hajj scheme
ISLAMABAD: Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said on Monday Saudi Arabia had granted Pakistan an additional 10,000 slots for Hajj pilgrims traveling under the private scheme.
The annual Islamic pilgrimage is expected to take place this year in June. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Hajj Agreement 2025 in January, under which Pakistan was given a quota of 179,210 for the pilgrimage to be divided equally between government and private schemes.
Nearly 90,000 Pakistanis are expected to travel to Saudi Arabia under the government scheme this year and 23,620 Pakistani were to perform Hajj through private tour operators, which means that over 60,000 slots from the total quota had remained unfilled.
'We have been allowed 10,000 more in the quota, this is not government but private quota,' Yousaf told reporters.
The development has not yet been confirmed by Saudi authorities.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a three-member inquiry committee to probe why Pakistan had failed to use the full 179,210 quota for Hajj 2025.
Hajj flight operations will begin from Apr. 29 with the first flight departing from Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore.
While a precise number for Hajj 2025 is difficult to determine in advance, projections suggest it will be a record-breaking year, with over 2.5 million pilgrims expected.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan National Assembly speaker meets Saudi crown prince, urges deeper ties at Hajj luncheon
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday at a luncheon hosted for Muslim leaders visiting the Kingdom for Hajj, expressing hope for even stronger ties between the two countries, according to an official statement. The meeting underscored a longstanding relationship rooted in economic, diplomatic and military cooperation. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly come to Pakistan's aid during financial crises, including through multibillion-dollar deposits in Pakistan's central bank and deferred oil payment facilities in the past. Such support has helped Islamabad shore up its foreign currency reserves and even unlock International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout programs during periods of acute external financing pressure. 'Saudi Arabia has always stood by Pakistan in times of adversity,' Sadiq said during the meeting, thanking the crown prince for Riyadh's consistent backing. 'We hope that ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will grow even stronger,' he added. According to the National Assembly, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reiterated his commitment to addressing challenges facing the Muslim world. The speaker's meeting follows a two-day trip to the Kingdom last week by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who performed Umrah alongside Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and other senior officials. During the visit, Sharif thanked Saudi leadership for its role during last month's military standoff between Pakistan and India and praised Riyadh's efforts to promote regional and global stability. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have also been expanding their economic ties. In October last year, the two countries signed business-to-business agreements and memoranda of understanding worth $2.8 billion aimed at boosting trade and investment.
Asharq Al-Awsat
4 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Arabia Declares Success of this Year's Hajj
Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region Prince Saud bin Mishaal declared on Sunday the success of this year's Hajj, stressing Saudi Arabia's pride in serving the pilgrims. Preparations are underway to hold next year's Hajj, he added. He said this year's pilgrimage was a success on the security, health and services level, conveying his congratulations to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on the achievement. He praised the performance of the operational plan that ensured the success of the Hajj and allowed the pilgrims to carry out the sacred rituals smoothly and at ease. Moreover, he extended congratulations to the members of the security, health and services sectors, as well as the volunteers, who 'worked tirelessly and with dedication to guarantee the success of the Hajj.' The pilgrims themselves were also 'partners in this success by respecting regulations and instructions,' he remarked. In Mina, the pilgrims in a hurry completed their final rituals before sunrise on Sunday by holding the farewell tawaf of the Kaaba and the symbolic stoning of the devil. The remaining pilgrims, who were not in a hurry, will depart on Monday. The Grand Mosque was at full capacity with 107,000 pilgrims per hour performing the tawaf. The General Authority for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques and relevant parties were ready to accommodate them in line with an integrated operational plan. They dedicated all means at their disposal to ensure the pilgrims performed the rituals smoothly and ensure the smooth flow of movement inside the mosque. At the Safa and Marwa ritual, capacity was at 118,000 pilgrims per hour. In the city of Madinah, pilgrims in a hurry arrived to visit the Masjid al-Nabawi where they prayed and later visited important Islamic sites in the city related to the Prophet Mohammed. Hajj and Umrah Ministry figures obtained from 62,000 field visits to the Hajj accommodations, camps and other areas revealed a 97 percent rate in respecting regulations, while the proper action was taken against violators.
Asharq Al-Awsat
4 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Madinah Prepares for Air Departures as Pilgrims Head Home Post-Hajj
Government entities in the Madinah Region have begun seeing off pilgrims returning to their home countries through the Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport, after performing Hajj this year with ease and tranquility. Following Hajj, large numbers of pilgrims are arriving in Madinah to pray at the Prophet's Mosque and extend their greetings to Prophet Muhammad and his two companions. To streamline their departure, a program has been implemented to facilitate their transfer from residences to the airport, the Saudi Press Agency said on Monday. The program is overseen by the Hajj and Visit Committee in the region and relevant entities to ensure the orderly and timely departure of flights to various destinations. Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport achieved notable success during the pre-Hajj phase, efficiently handling the Hajj flights. During the arrival period, the airport received 719,400 pilgrims, accounting for 49% of pilgrims arriving by air to the Kingdom this Hajj season. Starting from 1 Dhul-Qi'dah, 1,910 flights carrying pilgrims from 196 cities in 53 countries arrived at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport, operated by 65 airlines. This accounted for 60% of all Hajj flights received by Saudi airports during the arrival phase.
