Pakistan requests Saudi Arabia to increase Hajj 2026 quota for more pilgrims
Pakistan asks Saudi Arabia for more seats in Hajj 2026 to accommodate growing number of pilgrims.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has asked Saudi Arabia to give more seats for Pilgrimage 2026. The country has requested 230,000 pilgrims, so more people can go for Hajj according to Pakistan’s population.
Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, told the media about this in Islamabad today.
He said that more than 38,000 pilgrims will travel from Islamabad using the Route to Makkah project. The government is trying to start this service in Lahore too. Right now, this service is only available in Islamabad and Karachi.
The minister said the government has made all arrangements for Pilgrimage 2026 following Saudi Arabia’s instructions.
Earlier, in a Pilgrimage training session, the minister said Saudi Arabia gave Pakistan 179,210 seats for Pilgrimage 2026. Out of these, about 118,000 seats are for the government scheme, and the rest are for private tour operators.
“We are hopeful that Saudi Arabia will understand Pakistan’s growing population needs and increase our Hajj quota this year.” — Sardar Muhammad Yousaf
He said Hajj training is mandatory to make sure pilgrims know the Pilgrimage rituals and how things will work. The first phase of training will continue across Pakistan until February.
The minister said over 450,000 people applied for Hajj this year. This shows that people trust the government to organize Hajj properly.
Sardar Muhammad Yousaf also said that in his previous Pilgrimage trips, he did not use any official protocol. He asked Khuddam-ul-Hujjaj Nazims to serve pilgrims properly and with respect.
He also said that he will go to Saudi Arabia during Pilgrimage to help pilgrims and solve any problems or complaints.
