Islamabad:

In November last year, the government announced that 179,210 Pakistani Pilgrims would perform Hajj in 2025. According to Hajj policy, Hajj -quota was shared with a relationship of 50:50 between the government and private Hajj schemes with 89,605 seats reserved for each.

However, in a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Religious Affairs announced Umar Batt that only 23,620 pilgrims from Pakistan will be able to perform Hajj in 2025 under the private Hajj scheme

Prior to the announcement, the Ministry’s Secretary Senate Committee stated that around 67,000 people who were enrolled in a private scheme seemed unlikely to be able to perform Hajj this year.

At a meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Religious Affairs, both the Ministry of Religious Affairs and President of the Private Hajj Operator Association gave detailed briefing.

The association’s president, Sanaullah, told the committee that the federal cabinet approved Hajj policy 2025 after a delay of over two months due to which private Hajj travel organizers could not submit their applications on time.

He said the funds for 67,000 pilgrims – 680 million Riyals – had already been transferred to Saudi Arabia, and due to the limited time there were no further events. He demanded that a high-level committee be sent to Saudi Arabia and called for the prime minister to intervene in the case.

The Senate Committee unanimously decided to write a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who requested a meeting so he can talk to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.