Training of 89,000 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims scheme in ‘final stages’, says minister

Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said on Friday the training of 89,000 pilgrims performing Hajj under the government scheme was in the “final stages” to ensure they were fully aware of the rituals, logistics, and regulations associated with the annual pilgrimage.

Hajj is expected to take place in June this year.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Hajj Agreement 2025 in January, under which Pakistan was given a quota of 179,210 pilgrims. This year, 89,000 people will perform Hajj under the government scheme and 23,620 with private tour operators. 

Each year ahead of the pilgrimage, Pakistan holds nationwide training camps to ensure pilgrims are well-informed and prepared for the spiritual and physical journey, as well as to maintain discipline and uniformity during the Hajj.

“Under our government scheme, 89,000 pilgrims will perform Hajj this year and all the formalities and procedures have been completed,” Yousuf told journalists in Islamabad.

“This training is being provided at the final stage to ensure that pilgrims are fully prepared and knowledgeable in line with Saudi guidelines to avoid any difficulties during their journey.”

“Master trainers and religious scholars” had been engaged to ensure that the administrative procedures were properly understood and pilgrims were well-informed about the correct way to perform Hajj, Yousuf said, adding that the religious affairs ministry’s main objective was to ensure pilgrims from Pakistan were “well informed, well prepared and received maximum assistance.”

Mandatory vaccinations for Pakistani Hajj pilgrims, including meningitis and flu shots, would be administered on April 20, while travelers from yellow fever and polio-prone regions must present valid immunization certificates.

The precautions are vital to prevent the spread of infectious diseases among millions of pilgrims converging in the Kingdom from across the globe.

Hajj flight operations are set to begin on Apr. 29, with the first flight departing from Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore. 

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also formed a three-member inquiry committee to investigate why Pakistan failed to fully utilize its quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2025.