Pakistani pilgrims have something to rejoice about! The Ministry of Religious Affairs has announced an increase of 5,000 additional seats for the official Hajj scheme. This brings the total number of Pakistani pilgrims who can perform Hajj to 179,210, with 89,605 allocated for the government scheme and 89,605 for the private scheme.
Applications for these extra spots will be accepted starting next week, and the remaining quota of 5,000 will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. This means that pilgrims won’t have to go through a balloting system, making it easier for them to secure their spots.
To accommodate the influx of applications, the Ministry is considering setting a 5-day window for receiving Hajj applications. So far, 81,500 Hajj applications have been received, and with the additional seats, more pilgrims will have the opportunity to perform Hajj.
It’s worth noting that the government has also introduced a sponsorship scheme, where 5,000 seats will be reserved for those who cannot afford to pay the full amount upfront ยน. This scheme will operate on a first-come, first-served basis and will be exempt from the lottery system.
