The failure to accommodate 63,000 Pakistani pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj has sparked grave concerns from the Senate Sub-Committee on Religious Affairs, which has called for prompt responsibility from the commercial Hajj operators and the director general (DG) of Hajj.
Senator Aun Abbas Bappi, who chaired the meeting, chastised the Hajj DG harshly and demanded complete openness, especially with reference to the contract given to the Saudi-based Al-Raji Company for Hajj services. At the following meeting, the committee mandated that all contract-related documents be submitted.
Despite payments, thousands of people miss the Hajj.
Although 40,000 pilgrims had already paid, with the money going to Saudi Arabia’s e-wallet system, officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs told the committee that 63,000 pilgrims were unable to complete the Hajj this year.
