The government of Pakistan has introduced a substantial financial relief package for Hajj 2025, reducing airfare costs for pilgrims under the federal Hajj program.

This initiative slashes ticket prices by $50 (approximately Rs. 14,000) per person, bringing the airfare down to Rs. 220,000 from Rs. 234,000 last year.

This marks the second consecutive year of reduced flight costs for pilgrims. The relief package, amounting to Rs. 1.24 billion, has been implemented with the cooperation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Saudi Airlines, and private carriers.

Nearly 89,605 pilgrims are expected to benefit from this relief initiative, with 40% traveling via PIA, 40% via Saudi Airlines, and the remaining 20% using private Pakistani airlines. The Ministry of Religious Affairs is currently in talks to finalize agreements with private carriers.

The Hajj Policy 2025, announced earlier this month, introduced several significant updates for prospective pilgrims. The overall Hajj cost ranges between PKR 10.75 lakh and PKR 11.75 lakh, excluding an additional PKR 55,000 for sacrificial animals.

To make the pilgrimage more accessible, the government has introduced an installment-based payment plan. Applicants must initially deposit PKR 200,000, followed by PKR 400,000 within 14 days of selection in the draw, with the remaining amount due between February 1 and February 10, 2025.

Other key highlights of the policy include:

• Women pilgrims can perform Hajj without a male guardian, provided they submit a sworn affidavit from their father or husband.
• A shorter Hajj option of 20-25 days will be available under the government scheme. 
• A quota of 5,000 pilgrims will participate through the dollar scheme, while private schemes will offer 30,000 slots based on sponsorship.
• All pilgrims must be fully vaccinated and remit foreign currency to Pakistan.

This progressive approach aims to ease financial burdens and provide flexible options for pilgrims while ensuring compliance with international travel regulations.