ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia has granted Pakistan an additional 10,000 Hajj slots, allowing more Pakistani pilgrims to perform Hajj this year. The additional quota follows a request by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who expressed his gratitude to Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud.
In a post on his X handle, Dar thanked Prince Faisal for his support and described him as a “dear brother,” emphasizing that the gesture would strengthen bilateral relations and facilitate more Pakistani pilgrims. The special arrangement came after Dar’s telephonic conversation with the Saudi Foreign Minister on April 9.
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf confirmed that around 90,000 Pakistani pilgrims are expected to travel for Hajj this year under both government and private schemes. The Hajj operation for 2025 will begin on April 29, with the first flight departing from Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport to Madinah Munawwarah at 10:15 pm. The initial flights will be directed to Madinah, while flights to Jeddah will begin on May 14.
According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the full flight schedule is now available via the Pak Hajj mobile application. Under the government scheme, 89,000 pilgrims will travel with five designated airlines.
Minister Yousuf also clarified that Saudi Arabia’s recent temporary suspension of Umrah and other visas for 14 countries, including Pakistan, is a routine measure before the Hajj season. The suspension is expected to be lifted by mid-June.
In preparation for the pilgrimage, pilgrims must be vaccinated at their designated Haji camps at least ten days before departure. PIA will operate 280 special pre-Hajj flights from April 29 to June 1, transporting over 56,000 pilgrims, using Boeing 777 and Airbus A320 aircraft.
This year, Hajj packages have been reduced in cost. The 40-day package is now priced at Rs1,050,000, following a Rs25,000 reduction, while the 25-day package now costs Rs1,100,000 after a Rs50,000 cut.
