Only 26% of private applicants to make the journey to Hajj as over 67,000 left without options; first flight departs April 29.
Islamabad, April 28:
With just a day remaining before the first Hajj 2025 flight departs, thousands of Pakistani pilgrims are set to miss out on performing the annual pilgrimage due to a limited quota, ARY News reported.
Out of the 90,830 Pakistani pilgrims registered under the private Hajj scheme, only 23,620 will be able to perform Hajj this year — meaning just 26% of applicants will make the journey, while over 67,000 will be left behind.
The first Hajj flight from Islamabad to Saudi Arabia is scheduled to depart on April 29, officially kicking off Pakistan’s Hajj 2025 operations.
Despite the Prime Minister’s earlier directive to form an investigative committee to address the quota issues, no tangible progress has been reported. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also confirmed it was unable to negotiate any additional concessions for Pakistani pilgrims this year.
Responsibility for the thousands of pilgrims unable to travel remains unclear, fueling frustration among applicants, according to ARY News.
Meanwhile, under the Road to Makkah project, 50,500 Pakistani pilgrims will travel to Saudi Arabia this year. Of these, 28,000 will depart from Islamabad and 22,500 from Karachi. A total of 100 flights from Islamabad and 80 from Karachi are scheduled under this program, with immigration processing completed in Pakistan before departure.
Officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs welcomed the Road to Makkah delegation at Islamabad Airport, signaling the formal start of Hajj 2025 operations.