Govt Approves Hajj 2026 Plan
The federal cabinet of Pakistan has formally approved the Hajj Policy for 2026, with a larger share of the pilgrimage quota allocated to government arrangements.
The decision was made during a cabinet meeting held in Islamabad and chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. According to sources familiar with the matter, the government has decided to reserve 70% of the Hajj quota for pilgrims travelling under the official scheme, while 30% will be allocated to private tour operators.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs had initially recommended a 60:40 division between government and private Hajj schemes. However, Prime Minister Sharif revised the ratio, opting to give more priority to the public programme.
The expected cost of performing Hajj under the government scheme in 2026 is estimated to fall between 1.15 million and 1.25 million rupees. The final figure may vary depending on currency exchange rates and services offered in Saudi Arabia.
Officials have said that this early announcement of the policy allows better planning for intending pilgrims and improves coordination with Saudi authorities. It is also likely to help regulate the pricing and quality of services offered by private tour operators.
The federal cabinet also approved several other items on its agenda during the meeting, although no detailed list has been made public yet.
Pakistan sends tens of thousands of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia every year for Hajj, and policy decisions on quota distribution and pricing often draw strong public interest.
