ISLAMABAD: The date for receiving applications for Pakistan’s Hajj 2027 government and private schemes has been revised, with the process now scheduled to begin on August 18 instead of August 17, according to sources in the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Hajj applications and payments will be accepted through Habib Bank branches as well as the online system. Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, and the intake will stop once the allocated quota is filled.
Pakistan’s total Hajj quota for 2027 has been set at 179,210 pilgrims, with 60 percent, or 107,526 seats, allocated to the government scheme and 40 percent, or 71,684 seats, reserved for the private scheme.
For the first time, applications for both schemes will reportedly be received under government supervision. Habib Bank has been selected as the sole bank for receiving Hajj applications and payments, replacing the previous system involving 16 banks.
Applicants will be able to submit forms through the Pak Hajj app and website. Payments can be made through One Link, PSID or credit cards, while applicants may also generate an online challan and deposit the amount in cash.
Overseas Pakistanis will also be able to submit applications through the digital system.
Only pilgrims who have already completed the required registration will be eligible to apply for the government Hajj scheme. Applications will be accepted for both long- and short-duration packages.
Under the government scheme, 30,000 seats have been allocated for the short Hajj package, while 77,526 seats have been allocated for the long package. The short package will run for approximately 20 to 25 days, while the long package will last around 38 to 42 days.
Sources said the estimated cost of the government scheme’s short Hajj package has been set at Rs1.3 million, while the long package will cost approximately Rs1.2 million.
Hajj expenses will be collected in two equal installments, with applicants required to pay half of the total cost at the time of submitting their application.
The government has also allocated one percent of the total Hajj quota, or 1,792 seats, for overseas Pakistanis holding Pakistan Origin Card (POC) cards.
Officials say the expanded digital system is intended to make the application and payment process easier and more accessible for pilgrims. However, the decision to receive applications through only one bank, combined with the first-come, first-served system, could lead to increased demand and pressure on the application process.
