Banks start receiving applications for Haj 2025

ISLAMABAD: Banks across Pakistan on Monday commenced receiving applications for Hajj 2025 by those intending to embark on the annual pilgrimage next year.

With a total of 15 designated banks receiving Hajj applications, a Ministry of Religious Affairs spokesperson has said that people will need to deposit an instalment of Rs200,000 with their applications.

The quota for the government Hajj scheme is 89,605 with 5,000 seats allocated for overseas Pakistanis under the sponsorship scheme. The government Hajj package includes airfare, meals, training, accommodation and vaccination. Individuals with severe and complex medical conditions and children under the age of twelve will not be allowed to travel for Hajj, said the spokesperson.

Last week, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain, while announcing the Hajj policy, said that a total of 179,210 Pakistanis will perform the annual pilgrimage next year.

A total of 1,000 seats would be allocated for hardship cases and 300 for labourers and low-income employees registered under the Employees Old-Age Benefit Institution (EOBI) or Workers Welfare Fund.

Detailing the expected expenditures of a pilgrim to visit the holiest sites in Saudi Arabia, the minister announced that it would vary between Rs1,075,000 and Rs1,175,000. Apart from the Rs200,000 instalment mentioned above, Hajj applicants will have to deposit Rs400,000 after being selected via balloting, whereas, the remaining payments will be paid by February 10, 2025.

In case of cancellation, the refund of the first instalment will be made after a deduction of Rs50,000, whereas, Rs200,000 will be deducted in case of failure to pay the third instalment and no refunds will be made after February 10, 2025. Under the policy, the compensation for the heirs of the deceased has been increased from Rs1 million to Rs2 million.