Authorities have decided to accept new applications under the government scheme for this year’s Hajj.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony announced on Tuesday that anyone planning to perform Hajj in 2023 can still apply via the government scheme on a first-come, first-served basis.
According to a tweet posted on the ministry’s official Twitter account, applicants can apply for these limited seats until June 2nd.
‘Applicants can apply to Section Officer Hajj Policy, First Floor, Kohsar Block, Pakistan Secretariat,’ the ministry said in a tweet.
It is important to note that the application deadline passed a few weeks ago; however, there is still time to apply for the limited seats, as announced by the ministry.
For this year’s Hajj, a 50 percent quota had been reserved for the Sponsorship Scheme which is a special facility given to Hajj pilgrims seeking foreign exchange from abroad in the specific dollar account of the religious affairs ministry.
The government had set Hajj expenses at Rs1.175 million per pilgrim, 68% more than the last year’s expenses which apparently became a reason for many Muslims to avoid performing the ritual amid skyrocketing inflation.
It is notable that this is the first time Saudi Arabia has welcomed a large number of pilgrims, approximately 2.3 million since pandemic restrictions were lifted. Only those between the ages of 18 and 65 who were fully vaccinated or immunised against the virus and did not suffer from chronic diseases were permitted to visit the kingdom during the 2022 Hajj season.
