More than 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims may face delays in their Hajj journey due to a serious payment error. Millions of Saudi Riyals meant for their Hajj expenses were sent to the wrong bank account. This mistake has caused confusion and delays for many private Hajj tour operators and pilgrims.
According to the Hajj Organizers Association of Pakistan (HOAP), around 50 million Saudi Riyals were accidentally transferred to an OPEC Fund account instead of the official Saudi Hajj Ministry account. This mistake has delayed the entire payment process by over a month.
Because of this error, private Hajj operators missed the payment deadline set by Saudi authorities. They were unaware of the issue and couldn’t find the funds in the payment system. As a result, their bookings and Hajj plans have been affected.
This situation has caused a lot of concern among the families of the pilgrims who fear their loved ones may not be able to perform Hajj this year. Many are waiting for a quick solution so their travel arrangements can move forward.
To handle the issue, authorities in Pakistan have decided to form a special subcommittee. This group will investigate how the mistake happened, trace the funds, and make sure such incidents do not happen again in the future. They will also work with Saudi officials to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.
This payment error has highlighted the need for better coordination and communication between banks, private Hajj operators, and official agencies. Pilgrims and tour operators are now hoping that things will be sorted out soon, and their Hajj journey can continue without further problems.
It is now a race against time to correct the mistake and save this year’s pilgrimage for thousands of hopeful Pakistani Hajjis.
