Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf on Friday disclosed that a total of 25,698 pilgrims will be able to perform Hajj 2025 under the private scheme, much smaller in number than anticipated, because of delays and mismanagement by private operators.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad alongside the Ministry Secretary, the Minister laid out a detailed timeline of how the situation unfolded. He emphasized that despite the Hajj policy being approved in November, and his assuming charge in March, many private tour operators and NGOs failed to act within the given deadlines, causing a sharp reduction in the number of pilgrims allowed under the private quota.
The overall quota of 179,210 pilgrims under Pakistan’s Hajj policy is equally shared between the private and government sectors. The Ministry was able to complete its tasks for the government quota, and the deadline for bookings and the transfer of funds was met. However, the private scheme, managed in part by NGOs and Hajj operators under the HOPE umbrella, failed to meet essential requirements.
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“The private sector showed lethargy and missed key deadlines,” said Sardar Yousaf, blaming poor coordination and failure to follow Saudi protocols. Despite being fully informed, many operators hoped to use old licenses and resisted the new Saudi requirement that only clusters of 2,000 pilgrims per company would be allowed.
Missed deadlines and last-minute appeals
Initially, 904 private companies formed 41 clusters under HOPE, and were required to deposit 25% of the amount by February 14. But only some 3,600 people provided funds before the deadline. Despite two extensions, including a final 48-hour period, the number only rose to 13,600 — much less than the anticipated number.
Upon realizing the gravity of the situation, Minister Yousaf personally traveled to Saudi Arabia to request a deadline extension. After high-level discussions involving Pakistan’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, an additional quota of 10,000 pilgrims was secured from the Saudi government, pushing the total to 25,698 under the private scheme.
Accountability and transparency promised
The Minister clarified that HOPE’s representative, Waheed Butt, had already signed the agreement and was aware of all terms and deadlines. He rejected claims that private operators were uninformed.
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“We issued public advertisements and notices repeatedly, advising pilgrims to confirm if their chosen company was officially authorized,” Yousaf added, stressing that any booking made through unverified companies was at the traveler’s own risk.
A government-formed inquiry committee is currently investigating the mishandling. “Those responsible for negligence will be held accountable,” the Minister affirmed, vowing action based on the committee’s findings.
While the government has tried to recover part of the lost quota, thousands of would-be pilgrims will miss out due to the carelessness of a few. “These are people who were spiritually and financially prepared for Hajj,” Yousaf lamented. “Unfortunately, they’ve been let down by the very organizations meant to guide them.”
