The Government of Pakistan has announced significant measures to make Hajj 2025 more affordable and accessible for pilgrims. These initiatives include reductions in overall costs, airfare discounts, and enhanced facilities.
Reduced Hajj Package Costs
nder the government scheme, the cost for the 40-day Hajj package has been set at Rs1.05 million per person, while a shorter-duration package is priced at Rs1.1 million.
These rates are lower than the initially estimated costs, which ranged between Rs1.075 million and Rs1.175 million.
The reduction is primarily due to agreements made in Saudi Arabia, resulting in significant savings in hotel and accommodation expenses.
Airfare Reductions
The government has introduced a substantial financial relief package, reducing airfare costs for pilgrims under the federal Hajj program. This initiative lowers ticket prices by $50 (approximately Rs14,000) per person, bringing the airfare down to Rs220,000 from Rs234,000 last year.
This marks the second consecutive year of reduced flight costs for pilgrims. The relief package, amounting to Rs1.24 billion, has been implemented with the cooperation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Saudi Airlines, and private carriers.
Enhanced Facilities
Pilgrims will now enjoy improved facilities, including air-conditioning in Mina, jasom board tents instead of cloth ones, and sofa-cum-beds in place of traditional mattresses.
For hotel accommodations, the cost of double bedrooms has been reduced from Rs259,000 to Rs185,000, a decrease of Rs74,000.imilarly, charges for triple bedrooms have dropped from Rs86,500 to Rs63,000.
Installment Payment Plan
To make the pilgrimage more financially manageable, the government has introduced an installment-based payment plan.
Applicants must initially deposit Rs200,000 with their application, followed by Rs400,000 within 10 days of selection in the draw.he remaining balance must be paid by February 10, 2025.
Quota and Sponsorship Scheme
A total of 179,210 Pakistanis are expected to perform Hajj in 2025, with an equal distribution of 89,605 seats each for government and private Hajj schemes.
Additionally, 5,000 seats are reserved for the government’s sponsorship scheme, and 30,000 seats for private Hajj Group Organizers under the sponsorship program.
The sponsorship scheme operates on a “first come, first served” basis without balloting, requiring applicants to send foreign exchange through official banking channels.
Additional Measures
- Accommodation Options: Pilgrims can opt for double-bed and triple-bed arrangements in Makkah, requiring additional deposits of Rs220,000 and Rs75,000, respectively.
- Compensation Increase: In the event of a pilgrim’s death during Hajj, compensation has been increased from Rs1 million to Rs2 million. For serious injuries, the compensation has been raised to Rs1 million.
- Age Restrictions: In accordance with Saudi regulations, children under the age of 12 are not permitted to accompany pilgrims, primarily due to challenges posed by extreme heat and other associated difficulties during Hajj.
These comprehensive measures aim to alleviate the financial burden on pilgrims and enhance their overall Hajj experience in 2025.
