Nearly 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims risk missing Hajj
Hajj organizers urge Pakistani officials to request Saudi Arabia for urgent extension after digital system shuts early
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (MNTV) — Nearly 67,000 aspiring Pakistani pilgrims may be unable to perform Hajj this year due to administrative delays and the closure of Saudi Arabia’s online visa portal, according to the Hajj Organisers Association of Pakistan (HOAP).
In a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, HOAP officials said the Saudi digital platform Nusuk closed for application submissions earlier than in previous years, disrupting the visa process for thousands of applicants.
Speaking to the media, HOAP’s media coordinator Muhammad Saeed urged Pakistan’s president and prime minister to engage Saudi authorities and request a 72-hour extension to secure visas for the affected pilgrims.
Pakistan’s total Hajj quota stands at 179,210, evenly split between public and private schemes.
According to HOAP, only around 23,000 private applications have been confirmed so far, while approximately 67,000 remain pending. Of those, 13,000 applicants have reportedly been dropped from the system entirely.
Saeed emphasized that in past years, Saudi authorities had granted extensions to the application deadline.
However, no such extension has been announced this year, increasing the likelihood that tens of thousands will be excluded from the pilgrimage.
HOAP Chairman Zaeem Akhtar Siddiqui explained that Pakistan’s Hajj policy was announced on November 27, 2024.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs began accepting applications under the government scheme on an installment basis from November 28 to March 25, in multiple phases.
The private sector was allowed to start receiving applications from January 14. However, Saudi Arabia’s system closed on February 21—well before final approvals for private operators were issued on March 18.
HOAP has appealed for urgent diplomatic intervention to ensure that the pilgrims, many of whom have made financial commitments and preparations, are not left behind due to procedural setbacks.
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