ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Hajj packages for pilgrims travelling under the private scheme have been uploaded to the government’s digital portal, accelerating bookings through the Hajj portal and the Pak Hajj app, according to the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
On the ministry’s instructions, most Hajj organiser companies have uploaded their packages to the digital portal. Sixteen base Hajj packages have been finalised under the private scheme.
Packages this year range between Rs1.4 million and Rs3.75 million. The private scheme offers options not available under the government arrangement, including shorter durations, direct flights from abroad, and five-star packages.
A total of 71,684 seats have been allocated to the private Hajj scheme this year. The ministry has set 20 November as the final date for package selection and payment. Where the quota is not filled by that date, the ministry retains the authority to reallocate it.
The ministry has issued an explicit instruction that pilgrims make all payments and package selections only through official digital channels.
According to a ministry spokesperson, private pilgrims should select and pay for packages solely through the Hajj portal or the Pak Hajj app. If money is paid directly to any individual or company, the ministry will bear no responsibility for the resulting loss.
That warning is the operative part of the announcement. Private Hajj arrangements in Pakistan have a long record of complaints involving payments collected outside official channels, packages sold by unregistered intermediaries, and pilgrims discovering close to departure that no booking exists. Routing payment through a state-operated portal creates a verifiable transaction record — and, equally important, gives the ministry a basis to decline liability where that route is bypassed.
The Rs1.4 million to Rs3.75 million spread is wide, and the difference is mostly accommodation distance and duration.
Proximity to the Haram in Makkah and to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah is the single largest cost variable in any Hajj package, followed by the standard of accommodation at Mina and Arafat, and the length of stay. A shorter package reduces hotel nights, which is why duration options appear in the private scheme at all.
Direct flights from abroad, listed among the private scheme’s features, serve overseas Pakistanis booking through Pakistani operators.
Pakistan’s overall Hajj quota is set annually by Saudi Arabia and divided between the government scheme and the private scheme, with operators licensed by the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The 71,684 private seats represent that year’s private-side allocation.
The reallocation clause matters to operators. If the private quota is not fully subscribed by 20 November, the ministry can redistribute the unfilled portion — which creates pressure on operators to fill packages before the deadline, and gives pilgrims a fixed date by which to decide.
For anyone booking, three points follow from the ministry’s statement. Verify the operator is listed on the official portal before transacting. Complete payment through the portal or the Pak Hajj app rather than by direct transfer to a company account or an individual. And retain the digital confirmation, which is the record the ministry can act on.
The 20 November deadline applies to both selection and payment; a selection without completed payment does not secure a seat.
Package details, seat allocation and deadlines as stated by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Leave a Reply