Over 32,000 Pakistani Pilgrims Submit Second Hajj Installment Under Government Scheme

ISLAMABAD: More than 32,000 Pakistani pilgrims have paid the second installment of their Hajj dues under the government sponsorship program, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony announced Wednesday.

For the upcoming pilgrimage, Pakistan has allocated 107,526 seats to the government scheme—including 30,000 for a shorter-duration package—while an additional 71,696 slots have been designated for private operators.

The government filled its entire quota in August through a digital reservation system, marking the first time the process was completed entirely online. According to ministry data released Tuesday, 32,178 intending pilgrims have now submitted the second installment, remitting a combined 20.5 billion rupees (approximately $74 million) through both digital and conventional banking channels.

Officials noted that over 57 percent of these payments were processed remotely via the digital Hajj portal. The deadline for the second installment under the government scheme is October 20, and the ministry has warned that failure to pay by the cutoff date will result in cancellation of the booking.

This digital drive is a cornerstone of Pakistan’s inaugural four-year Hajj policy (2027–2030), which replaces the previous framework of annual policies. The strategy mandates the digitization of payments, grievance redressal, and monitoring mechanisms to enhance transparency and operational oversight.

Under the current fee structure, the government’s 40-day package costs 1.2 million rupees ($4,334), while the shorter 20- to 25-day option is priced at 1.3 million rupees ($4,695). The first installment for the shorter package was fully collected within 24 hours of the payment window opening on August 18, with all remaining government seats booked by August 25.

In a separate update, the ministry confirmed that 33,171 pilgrims have paid their dues under the private scheme, leaving 38,500 seats still available. Authorities urged applicants to conduct all private scheme bookings and payments exclusively through the official ‘Pak Hajj App’ or the Hajj portal.

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