ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs has finalised the procedure for receiving applications and Hajj expenses for Hajj 2027, with applications under the government scheme expected to open in the third week of August.
According to sources in the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Hajj expenses under the new system will be collected in two instalments, with pilgrims required to pay half of the total amount in the first instalment and the remaining amount in the second.
The ministry has also finalised a digital payment mechanism aimed at making the submission of Hajj applications and payment of dues easier, faster and more secure.
Under the new procedure, payments for the government Hajj scheme can be made through OneLink, PSID, credit cards and online challans. Overseas Pakistanis will also be able to submit applications and pay their Hajj dues through the new digital system.
Sources said applications and payments under the government scheme will be processed through a single designated private bank, as part of the revised arrangements.
Only pilgrims who have already been registered under the applicable Hajj registration process will be eligible to submit applications and deposit their dues under the scheme.
Pilgrims opting for the private Hajj scheme will also be provided digital payment facilities, including OneLink, PSID and credit cards, to deposit their Hajj expenses.
According to ministry sources, Pakistan’s total Hajj quota for 2027 has been fixed at 179,210 pilgrims. Of the total quota, 60 percent, or 107,526 seats, have been allocated to the government Hajj scheme, while 40 percent, or 71,684 seats, have been allocated to the private Hajj scheme.
The ministry has been working to introduce a more streamlined and digitally integrated mechanism for Hajj-related applications and payments. The revised system is intended to reduce procedural difficulties for intending pilgrims and provide greater convenience in the submission of applications and payment of dues.
The introduction of instalment-based payments is also expected to provide pilgrims with greater financial flexibility by allowing them to divide the Hajj expenses into two scheduled payments rather than depositing the entire amount at once.
The government is expected to formally begin receiving applications for the 2027 Hajj scheme in the third week of August, following completion of the remaining administrative arrangements.
The new digital mechanism is being presented as part of broader efforts to modernise Hajj operations and make the process of registration, payment and management of pilgrim-related services more efficient and transparent.
