Deadline for Private Hajj 2026 Bookings Extended

The Federal Ministry for Religious Affairs has extended the deadline for booking under the Private Hajj Scheme 2026 by five days after thousands of seats remained unfilled. The deadline, which was earlier set for October 17, 2025, will now close on October 22, 2025.

According to the Ministry, the extension was granted to allow approved Hajj operators to complete bookings as per the Hajj Policy 2026 and the signed service agreements.

Of the 60,000 seats allocated for the private scheme, 55,500 aspiring pilgrims have so far secured their bookings, leaving 4,500 seats vacant.

Ministry Issues Advisory for Pilgrims

A spokesperson for the Ministry urged applicants to:

• Verify the list of approved Hajj operators on the Ministry’s website
• Pay fees only through banking channels
• Demand official receipts and copies of Hajj agreements
• Cross-check entered data on the Ministry’s website and the Pak Hajj mobile app

Breakdown of Private Scheme Applicants

The Ministry earlier confirmed that:

• 22,097 pilgrims who could not perform Hajj last year have been re-registered with priority
• 37,903 new applicants are eligible to apply this year
• Private operators must submit affidavits ensuring the re-registration of last year’s leftover applicants
• The quota for private operators remains fixed at 60,000 pilgrims, of which last year’s pending applicants will be accommodated first.

Government Hajj Scheme Oversubscribed

Meanwhile, applications under the Government Hajj Scheme 2026 have already closed. The Ministry reported receiving 118,060 applications nationwide in 17 days — a quicker response than previous years.

Applicants have submitted 50% of the total expected cost. The remaining amount will be paid on November 1, 2025. Experts estimate that expenses under the government scheme will range between PKR 1.15 million and PKR 1.25 million, depending on travel duration and region.