More than 32,000 hopeful pilgrims will be selected from 63,666 applications by the Govt to Hold Balloting for Govt Hajj Scheme on Sunday and the ministry of Religious Affairs Interfaith Harmony on Sunday for the Government Hajj Scheme.
Spokesperson Muhammad Umar Butt told APP that the ministry had not extended the deadline for Hajj application submissions due to Saturday’s time limitations.
He explained that the deadline for passport applications had been extended to Zu al-Qadah 20 to accommodate Pakistanis living abroad.
Hajj applications began to be accepted on May 1. They would be accepted through May 13 at various designated branches of the 14 scheduled banks, and he claimed to have heard.
According to him, Pakistan was allocated 81,132 pilgrims for this year’s Hajj in a 40:60 split between the government and private plans.
Saudi Arabia’s Hajj and Umrah Ministry has yet to provide data on necessary fees, which Butt estimated this year’s journey would cost between Rs700,000 and $1 million.
The government would only reveal the total cost of the Hajj when it receives information on the obligatory expenses from the relevant parties, he said.
051-9205696 and 051-9216980-82, and the official WhatsApp number 0306-3332555, had been set up by the ministry as a ‘Hajj Helpline,’ that pilgrims could use for help and guidance.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Ummah has instructed pilgrims to download two approved mobile applications, Eatmarna and Tawakkalna, on their smartphones.
Saudi Arabia has released two smartphone applications to make it easier for pilgrims worldwide to visit the Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madina.
It is only open to people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 by the Saudi Ministry of Health, and pilgrims must submit an anti-COVID-19 PCR test result within 72 hours of their arrival in Saudi Arabia.
People above 65 are ineligible to participate in this year’s Hajj.