ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani ministry of religious affairs has received a total of 59,328 Hajj applications under the government scheme, state-run APP news agency reported on Tuesday.
Last week, Pakistan announced it was extending the deadline for Hajj applications under the government scheme by 10 days as it had not received an adequate number of applications by Dec. 12, the initial deadline.
“Under the government’s scheme, the quota for Pakistanis participating in the annual Islamic pilgrimage next year is 89,605, with an anticipated cost of Rs1,075,000 [$3,769] per person,” APP reported, while announcing that nearly 60,000 applications had been received by Tuesday.
This year, Saudi Arabia restored Pakistan’s pre-coronavirus Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims and lifted the upper age limit of 65 years to perform the pilgrimage. More than 81,000 Pakistani pilgrims performed Hajj under the government scheme in 2023 while the rest used private tour operators.
Announcing its Hajj Policy 2024 last month, Pakistan said the Hajj package for each pilgrim had been reduced by Rs100,000 and the government was negotiating with airlines to offer cheaper airfares.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and a once-in-a-lifetime duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it.
