The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has forwarded three names to the Prime Minister for the coveted position of Director General Hajj in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Sources told ProPakistani that the final shortlist includes Muhammad Ali, currently serving as a secretary in Punjab, Zulfiqar Khan, Chief Finance Officer at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and Sajid Mansoor Asadi from the Economic Affairs Division. The final decision now rests with the prime minister’s office.
The selection process drew close to 50 applicants, out of which only nine candidates cleared the written examination conducted by Lahore University of Management Sciences. A six-member committee, working under the supervision of the federal minister for religious affairs, later held detailed interviews before narrowing the list down to the final three names.
In the meantime, the ministry has reportedly granted a three-month extension to the incumbent DG Hajj, Abdul Wahab Soomro, to ensure continuity in operational planning as the pilgrimage season approaches. The extension reflects the urgency surrounding arrangements for one of Pakistan’s largest annual administrative and logistical exercises.
Sources also said that although a special committee was formed to supervise Hajj arrangements, including procurement and planning, much of the operational responsibility this year has been centralized under the DG Hajj office in Jeddah. This has reportedly raised concerns within some administrative circles over the concentration of decision-making.
With flights for Pakistani pilgrims scheduled to begin from April 18, pressure is mounting on authorities to finalize arrangements without delays. Saudi Arabia has allocated Pakistan a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2026, including around 119,210 seats under the government scheme and nearly 60,000 for private operators.