Fate of 67,000 Hajj Applicants Hinges on PM and Saudi Crown Prince

ISLAMABAD: The resolution of the predicament faced by 67,000 Hajj aspirants rests on discussions between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS), according to statements from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Director General (DG) of Hajj.

This update emerged during separate briefings to the National Assembly and Senate Standing Committees on Religious Affairs. The briefings took place against a backdrop of diminishing prospects for numerous Pakistani Hajj applicants hoping to make the pilgrimage this year.

Compounding the worries of the applicants, authorities indicated that private Hajj organizers, having received advance payments from pilgrims and transferred them to Saudi Arabia, may face challenges in obtaining full refunds for unused funds.

Refunds and Payment Channels

Dr. Ataur Rehman, the Federal Secretary for Religious Affairs, assured that advance payments remitted to the Saudi government through the DG Hajj would be reimbursed. However, the status of funds transferred through private or unofficial channels (Hundi) for accommodations and transport remains uncertain.

DG Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro, participating online from Saudi Arabia, stated that reimbursements for payments sent to the Saudi government’s account, less a 15% deduction, would be processed upon formal request from the Pakistani government.

He clarified that the government bears no responsibility for advance payments made outside official channels for private arrangements.

Clarification on Payment Accountability

“The amount received in the digital wallet will be refunded, but we cannot account for funds sent privately or through unofficial means,” he stated.

Soomro affirmed that funds still within the Pakistani government’s account would be fully reimbursed, mentioning that SAR1.1 billion had been collected from Hajj organizers to date.

Accusations and Delays

Private tour operators alleged that the DG Hajj initially transferred SAR50 million to an incorrect Saudi account, resulting in a 28-day delay in rectifying the error. They also accused the Religious Affairs Ministry’s Hajj division of creating obstacles that impeded their ability to meet required deadlines.

Muhammad Bilal, representing the Hajj Organisers Association of Pakistan (HOAP), asserted that while operators processed payments for 77,000 pilgrims by February 14, the ministry prioritized the government Hajj scheme.

He maintained that Pakistan could still secure the remaining quota with dedicated efforts.

Request for Deferral of Inquiry

Federal Secretary Dr. Ataur Rehman requested that any investigation into the lapse of the 67,000 quota be deferred until the conclusion of the Hajj operation.

“As secretary, I assure accountability, but officials are currently overwhelmed with Hajj operations,” he stated. He further added that Saudi authorities have indicated there will be no additional quota for the 67,000 Pakistani applicants, advising, “It’s better we stop discussing more quotas.”

Dr. Rehman partially attributed the shortfall to banking restrictions, noting that private operators were unable to meet the deadline due to a $300,000 limit on single transfers, resulting in only 13,260 applicants being processed before the Saudi portal closed. He also criticized operators for continuing to collect payments after the deadline had passed.

Committee Actions and Reactions

Malik Amir Dogar, chairman of the National Assembly’s standing committee, described the lapse as “the biggest scandal in Pakistan’s Hajj history” and demanded accountability. The committee established a subcommittee to seek the prime minister’s intervention.

Dogar placed blame on both ministry officials and private operators, a view shared by committee member Shagufta Jumani, who specifically criticized the secretary, joint secretary, and DG Hajj for the failure.

Ejazul Haq, another MNA, emphasized the necessity of PM-level discussions with Saudi Arabia but predicted limited recovery of advance payments for private operators.

Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousuf expressed regret over the lapsed quota but noted that Saudi Arabia had not issued a “final refusal”. He expressed hope in the findings of a PM-formed inquiry committee and pointed out that Pakistan’s Hajj quota, based on population, should be above 210,000 — rather than the current 179,610.

Later, during the Senate committee meeting, Dr. Rehman confirmed that accommodating more pilgrims this year is no longer possible. Applicants will be offered Hajj in 2025 at the same rate.

Senator Ataur Rehman linked the crisis to “internal discord”, while authorities reported that the 10,000 additional quota released after February 12 had been given to Bangladesh and India.

Senator Aon Abbas questioned why the ministry did not prevent private operators from sending millions of riyals between February and April despite the lack of available quota. The Senate standing committee also formed a subcommittee to investigate and assign responsibility.