Cabinet approves new private Hajj policy to tighten oversight over operators

The federal cabinet has approved a new private Hajj Policy 2027–2030, introducing major reforms to regulate pilgrimage operators after last year’s crisis that left tens of thousands of applicants unable to perform Hajj.

According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the new policy aims to improve transparency and strengthen oversight following the failure of several private operators to meet Saudi deadlines for payments and contracts, which resulted in around 67,000 Pakistanis missing Hajj 2025.

The issue had triggered an official inquiry ordered by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with parliamentary scrutiny and public criticism of the private Hajj system.

Under the new policy, a performance- and compliance-based framework will replace the existing quota system. All private Hajj operators will undergo re-evaluation, and companies failing to meet requirements will be declared inactive.

Each operator will now be required to secure bookings for at least 2,000 pilgrims, a move intended to ensure financial and operational stability.

The policy also introduces independent assessments and rankings of Hajj companies by external experts, while licences will be issued for three years.

In addition, the government will shift private Hajj operations to a fully digital system. Operators will not be allowed to handle pilgrims’ funds directly, and all payments will be routed through official banking channels to improve transparency and reduce mismanagement risks.

Officials said the reforms are aimed at protecting pilgrims and aligning Pakistan’s Hajj management system with Saudi Arabia’s broader reforms under Vision 2030.