The Ministry of Religious Affairs has announced a 50% reduction in the number of Hajj assistants for the 2025 pilgrimage, in response to a sharp decline in the number of Pakistani pilgrims this year.
Initially, 840 assistants were selected through a competitive National Testing Service (NTS) exam to support 179,210 pilgrims. However, with around 67,000 Pakistanis unable to undertake the pilgrimage, only 440 assistants will now be deployed, according to official sources.
Authorities confirmed that the first 440 candidates who qualified via the NTS test will be appointed, reflecting the updated requirement. The move is intended to better match the number of support staff with the reduced number of pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia.