Pakistan(National Times)- Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on Tuesday unveiled the final cost for the long and short Hajj packages for the year 2025. The development came days after Islamabad and Riyadh signed the annual Hajj agreement 2025 to provide the best facilities to Pakistani pilgrims.  Under the agreement, 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims would perform Hajj this year. It has also been agreed to provide the best facilities to Pakistani pilgrims, who would be offered special accommodation in Mina at reduced rates. In a statement, a spokesperson for the religious ministry said today that the final cost for long and short Hajj pilgrimage was fixed at Rs1,075,000 and Rs1,150,000 respectively. “Third instalment of Hajj dues would be received from February 1-10,” the spokesperson added. “Few seats to the government Hajj scheme are still available,” the ministry said, adding that the seats would be filled on a first-come, first-served basis by January 30. New applications would be entertained only for the long Hajj package as booking for the short Hajj package had already been completed. The spokesperson added that the booking process for private Hajj pilgrims would continue till the end of this month. 

‘84,620 applications received under regular scheme’

According to a ministry official, as of January 18 only 1,380 seats under the government’s regular scheme were left for which applications, along with Rs600,000 payments as first two instalments, would be received. The government from January 10, through designated banks, had started receiving applications under the regular scheme on remaining 4,500 seats on first-come first-served basis. The religious ministry had also written to private Hajj operators to seek approval for Hajj packages of over Rs3 million.