Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has announced a new policy for private Hajj operators that introduces stricter regulations, digital oversight and revised quota allocation procedures.
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Under the updated framework, all existing private Hajj operators will undergo a fresh review process before receiving approval to continue operations.
The ministry said private Hajj quotas will now be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, replacing previous arrangements.
According to the policy, private Hajj operators must secure bookings for at least 2,000 pilgrims. Companies that fail to meet the minimum requirement will be classified as inactive.
Officials said authorities will deduct half of the security deposit of operators that do not reach the booking threshold. Pilgrims registered with those companies will be transferred automatically to other approved operators.
The ministry also announced a new evaluation mechanism under which experts will independently assess and grade all Hajj companies. Licences issued under the system will remain valid for three years.
To strengthen transparency, authorities banned the buying and selling of Hajj quotas and warned of strict action against cartel behaviour or monopoly practices.
All private Hajj operations will move to a fully digital model. Pilgrims must complete bookings through the Private Hajj Management Portal, which will connect with NADRA and the State Bank of Pakistan for verification and payment processing.
The ministry said manual bookings and cash transactions will no longer be accepted. Hajj companies will also not be permitted to retain pilgrims’ funds.
Under the revised payment mechanism, payments to service providers in Saudi Arabia will be made directly, while all Hajj-related transactions will pass through the State Bank of Pakistan’s official account.
