ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs on Monday extended the deadline for depositing the second installment of Hajj dues to November 19, citing pilgrims’ convenience.
For Hajj 2026, Pakistan has been allocated a quota of 179,210 pilgrims, with around 118,000 seats reserved under the government scheme and the remainder for private tour operators.
Under the government Hajj scheme, the estimated cost of the package ranges from PKR 1,150,000 to PKR 1,250,000 ($4,049.93 to $4,236), depending on final agreements with service providers.
Applicants had paid an initial installment of PKR 500,000 ($1,764) or PKR 550,000 ($1,941) in August, depending on the chosen package, with the remaining balance originally due by November 15.
“Hajj applicants must submit mandatory dues by November 19,” the religious affairs ministry said in a statement. “Failure to submit the second installment will result in cancelation of the Hajj application.”
The ministry urged pilgrims to obtain computerised bank receipts after depositing their dues to avoid cancellation of their Hajj applications.
This development follows a recent agreement between Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding Hajj 2026 arrangements, the Ministry of Religious Affairs said.
The agreement was signed in Jeddah by Saudi Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdul Fattah bin Sulaiman Al-Mashat, and Pakistan’s Secretary for Religious Affairs, Dr. Syed Atta-ur-Rehman.
“The Ministry of Religious Affairs is committed to completing the arrangements for the government and private Hajj schemes in a timely and effective manner as per the instructions of the Saudi government,” Rehman said, thanking the Saudi government for its efforts to facilitate pilgrims and expressing hopes about the provision of quality services to Pakistani pilgrims next year as well.
