Hajj applications to be received from tomorrow

Islamabad: Religious Affairs Minister Mufti Abdul Shakoor has announced that applications for Hajj2022 would be received from May 1 to May 13 but this year Hajj expenditures may cost Rs 700,000 to one million.

After a two-year hiatus due to the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions, the government has reopened applications for performing Hajj in Saudi Arabia later this year.

As many as 81,132 Pakistani pilgrims are expected to perform the annual pilgrimage in both, public and private schemes. However, it has been suggested that the hajj this year could cost quite more than in past years.

Religious Affairs Minister Mufti Abdul Shakoor has announced that applications for Hajj 2022 can be filled and submitted from May 1 to May 13.

The minister has stated hajj applications can be submitted online and in banks from May 1 to May 13. Token money of around Rs50,000 has to be submitted with the applications but this money can be deposited in banks designated by the government between May 9 and May 13.

The minister hoped that dividing the application and token money submission process will help prospective pilgrims as banks are expected to remain closed for nearly a week on account of the Eidul Fitr holidays.

In the past, applicants had to deposit the completed application forms along with hajj expenditures in advance with the Hajj Ministry. Those applicants who did not succeed in securing a place in that year’s hajj following a ballot draw would receive a full refund for their application.

Mufti Shakoor also made it clear that pilgrims who are selected for hajj will have to complete health requirements listed by Saudi authorities including Covid-19 vaccination and booster jabs along with a PCR test taken at least 72 hours of departure for Hajj.

Regarding expenditures for hajj this year, the minister said that due to the increase in the cost of services and taxes by the Saudi government, it is expected that the cost of performing hajj will increase this year. He suggested that costs may rise to as much as Rs700,000 to a million per person.

He added the Saudi Hajj ministry as per normal routine used to provide detailed hajj guidelines and expenditures in advance but due to COVID-19, the details of hajj expenses are still awaited.

“However, it is expected that the cost of hajj this year may be around Rs0.7 million to Rs1 million,” he said, adding that Pakistan has received a hajj quota of 81,132 pilgrims this year with a 40% share of the government scheme and 60% private scheme.

After two years of Covid-19, within the policy, the Saudi Hajj ministry stated that this year they intended to welcome a million pilgrims, both foreign and domestic, to perform the pilgrimage.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah had announced its much-anticipated policy update for the upcoming Hajj which is scheduled to be held in July this year.