In Karachi, Hajj operators demanded permission of 67,000 pilgrims under quota. Zaim Akhtar Siddiqui, chairman of the Hajj Organizer Association Sindh, appealed to the Prime Minister and the Army Chief to intervene.
Addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club, Hajj tour operator Zaim Akhtar Siddiqui said that the advance booking of all applicants had been completed, and the Hajj organizer had completed arrangements by paying all the dues on time, but thousands of applications were rejected at the same time.
He dismissed the impression that the crisis was born of tour operators. According to him, the total Hajj quota of Pakistan is 1,79,210, 50 % of which was given to the private sector, but only 23,000 people have been confirmed, while 67,000 people are still suffering from uncertainty. Of these, 13,000 are pilgrims who have not been registered in the Saudi Nish system.
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Zaim Akhtar Siddiqui said that the Saudi government issued a Hajj policy on June 23, 2024, immediately after the Hajj, which took several months to Pakistani institutions. The Pakistani Ministry of Religious Affairs issued a Hajj policy on November 27, 2024 and the collection of private Hajj scheme requests was started on January 14, 2025.
He said that according to the Saudi timeline, all proceedings should be completed by February 21, but timely delivery of the funds was not possible due to the slowdown of the Pakistani system, the delay in approval from the SECP and the State Bank and the limited daily limit of the remittance ($ 3 million).
Hajj organizers say last year there was a cluster limit of 500 people, while this year the Saudi government suddenly implemented a cluster with 2000 people, which was implemented but it took time. He demanded that pilgrims be allowed this year under the old system.
The press conference said that 67,000 people have set up a lifetime accumulated capital for Hajj, and their wishes are going to meet in the dust. The Hajj organizers acknowledged that the Saudi digital system could not be fully implemented, which they apologize.
He strongly urged the government to give special permission to 13,000 persons who could not be registered in the Nish system.
