Pakistan has fully digitised its Hajj management system, allowing pilgrims to register and make payments through the Pak Hajj app, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said on Monday.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the minister also announced Hajj costs for 2027, details of instalment payments and a new partnership with Habib Bank for collecting pilgrimage expenses.
Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said the government has made the entire Hajj system digital, with pilgrims able to register online through the Pak Hajj app.
He said around 400,000 registered pilgrims are currently moving forward with the application process, reflecting strong interest in the government’s Hajj arrangements.
The minister said the digital system will also cover financial transactions, with pilgrims required to use the Hajj app rather than other payment methods.
Hajj costs announced
The federal minister announced that the cost of the 40- to 42-day long Hajj under the government scheme will be set at approximately Rs1.2 million.
For the 20- to 22-day short Hajj, the cost has been announced at around Rs1.3 million.
The government has also reserved 30,000 seats for short Hajj under its scheme.
According to Sardar Yousuf, the first instalment of Hajj expenses will be collected from pilgrims from August 17. The second instalment will have to be deposited in the second week of October, he added.
The minister said applicants who are unable to perform Hajj in 2027 will be placed on a waiting list for the following year.
Pilgrims to make payments through app
Sardar Yousuf said Pakistani pilgrims travelling under the private Hajj scheme will also be able to make their payments through the Pak Hajj app.
He stressed that no financial transactions will be permitted through any method other than the Hajj app, as the government seeks to maintain a transparent and fully digital process.
Private-scheme pilgrims will, however, be able to choose any of the online Hajj companies themselves.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs has entered into an agreement with Habib Bank Islami to collect Hajj expenses from pilgrims.
The agreement makes Habib Bank a partner of the Ministry of Religious Affairs in collecting pilgrimage payments for this year's Hajj arrangements.
Sardar Yousuf said he was pleased that a private bank would serve as the ministry's authorised banking partner this year and confirmed that the agreement would be signed on Monday.
Minister explains selection of bank
During the press conference, a journalist questioned why only Habib Bank had been given the authority to collect Hajj applications and payments.
In response, Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said the ministry had invited all banks to participate in the partnership process. He said all banks that applied were assessed, but only Habib Bank met the required criteria.
According to the minister, the remaining banks were unable to fulfil the ministry's requirements for digital payment services, resulting in Habib Bank being selected as the authorised banking partner.
Transparency and digital services
The federal government says the digital Hajj system is designed to simplify registration, payment and other administrative procedures for Pakistani pilgrims.
With both government and private-scheme pilgrims being integrated into the app-based system, the ministry aims to ensure that Hajj-related financial transactions remain centralised, traceable and transparent.
