Following a request by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Saudi Arabia has granted an additional Hajj quota to Pakistan, allowing 10,000 more pilgrims to perform Hajj this year.
Taking to his X handle, DPM Dar expressed his gratitude to the Kingdom’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud, for approving the additional Hajj quota.
In his post, Dar revealed that this special arrangement was made after his telephonic conversation with Prince Faisal on April 9th.
He thanked the Saudi Foreign Minister for his support, referring to him as a “dear brother,” and hailed the gesture as a significant step towards strengthening bilateral relations and facilitating Pakistani pilgrims.
Earlier, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf stated that approximately 90,000 Pakistani pilgrims are expected to perform Hajj this year under both government and private schemes.
It is important to note that the Hajj operation for 2025 is scheduled to commence on April 29th, according to officials.
The first Hajj flight under this year’s schedule will depart from Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, marking the beginning of the annual pilgrimage for thousands of Pakistani pilgrims.
According to officials, the inaugural flight, ER 1611, will depart for Madinah Munawwarah at 10:15 PM on April 29th, carrying 285 pilgrims.
In the initial phase of the operation, all flights will head to Madinah Airport. From May 14th onwards, flights will begin departing for Jeddah Airport.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs has approved the complete flight schedule, which will be accessible through the Pak Hajj mobile application starting today. Under the government Hajj scheme, 89,000 pilgrims will travel via five designated airlines.
Religious Affairs Minister Yousuf had also clarified that the temporary visa suspension for Umrah and other categories, recently imposed by Saudi Arabia on 14 countries, including Pakistan, is a routine procedure in the lead-up to Hajj.
The suspension is expected to be lifted by mid-June, and Umrah visa holders have been advised to return to Pakistan by April 29th.
As part of health and safety protocols, pilgrims are required to receive vaccinations at their designated Haji camps at least ten days before their scheduled departure. The second phase of Hajj training for pilgrims is also set to begin on April 8th.
Meanwhile, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced that it will operate 280 special pre-Hajj flights from April 29th to June 1st, transporting over 56,000 pilgrims. PIA will utilize Boeing 777 and Airbus A320 aircraft to ensure a comfortable journey. The post-Hajj operation will commence on June 12th and continue until July 10th.
This year, the cost of Hajj packages has been reduced. The 40-day package now costs Rs1,050,000, following a Rs25,000 reduction, while the 25-day short package has seen a Rs50,000 reduction, bringing the total to Rs1,100,000.
