In a major development, the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Pakistan has been directed to refund over Rs. 36.43 billion (approximately $130 million) to more than 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims who were unable to perform Hajj this year due to administrative shortcomings and changes in Saudi Arabia’s Hajj policy.
The directive was issued by a sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs, which convened on Friday. Senator Aon Abbas Buppi, who chairs the sub-committee, stated that the full refund must be issued by August 15, 2025, and emphasized that no deductions should be made for currency fluctuations or service charges.
The issue surfaced after a large number of private Hajj tour operators in Pakistan failed to meet the new eligibility criteria introduced by the Saudi government. According to Religious Affairs Secretary Dr. Attaur Rehman, Saudi Arabia had allocated 179,210 Hajj slots to Pakistan for 2025, of which 90,830 were set aside for private tour operators.
However, under a revised policy, only operators capable of managing groups of 500 to 2,000 pilgrims were eligible. Unfortunately, none of Pakistan’s 903 registered private operators met this requirement, leading to widespread cancellations and leaving thousands of applicants in limbo.
The Senate sub-committee stressed that the stranded funds — which are currently held in Saudi Arabia — must be repatriated and returned in full to the affected pilgrims. The committee’s decision has brought much-needed relief to thousands of citizens who had spent significant amounts of money and were anxiously awaiting clarity on their situation.
The Ministry has been urged to ensure transparency and speed in the refund process to rebuild public trust and prevent such issues from recurring in the future.
