LAHORE: Starting today, the government has commenced the process of accepting Hajj applications, as announced by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
As per the ministry’s statement, applications will be accepted through 15 designated banks nationwide. The window for submitting applications for the government Hajj scheme is open from November 27 to December 12.
The ministry revealed that approximately 89,605 Pakistani citizens are expected to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage next year through the government-sponsored program.
Notably, this marks a historic moment as women are now allowed to perform Hajj without a mahram for the first time. In the event of receiving more applications than the allotted quota, a draw will be conducted to determine the fortunate participants.
A specific quota of 25,000 has been set aside for the sponsorship scheme, where applications must be submitted from overseas using US dollars. Participants applying through this scheme, or their relatives, will be exempt from the draw, ensuring them a guaranteed spot.
To be eligible for the government-sponsored Hajj scheme, applicants must ensure that their National Identity Card remains valid until December 2024.
