Dr. Zulfiqar Haider, Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, proposes that the government stop managing Hajj arrangements from 2026. He announced this at a Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs meeting chaired by Senator Maulana Atta-ur-Rehman.
Dr. Haider noted Saudi Arabia’s direction to reduce the number of Hajj companies from 500 to 162 last year. He emphasized plans to further reduce to 46 companies, each managing 2,000 pilgrims. The ministry aims to hand over all Hajj operations to private operators next year.
He warned that private operators must resolve legal disputes or risk losing quotas. Initially, 904 private companies were registered for Hajj operations.
The ministry highlighted the fewer complaints received by private operators than by the government-run scheme—80 versus 18,000 complaints, respectively.
The Additional Secretary revealed that Saudi authorities found managing many companies overwhelming, leading to the mandated reduction. This prompted some private operators to approach the Sindh High Court, which is reviewing the case. Any delay could result in Saudi Arabia cancelling the private quotas.
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During the discussion, Dr. Dinesh Kumar, a minority committee member, suggested ways to resolve the differences between Hajj operators and the Ministry. Committee Chairman Maulana Ataur Rahman humorously praised Dr. Kumar’s extensive knowledge of Hajj.
Dr. Haider stressed that without resolving legal issues, private operators’ quotas might be given to other countries like India or Afghanistan. He reiterated that the ministry must follow Saudi policies due to a formal agreement approved by the Federal Cabinet.
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Private operators reported advance payments to Saudi Arabia for Hajj arrangements. The committee emphasized the need for an agreement with the Ministry to secure the Hajj quota and avoid financial losses.
The committee urged quick collaboration between the Ministry and private operators to settle their issues. Secretary Haider stated that transferring funds to Saudi Arabia without a ministry agreement was illegal.
Maulana Ataur Rahman highlighted the urgency of resolving the quota issue, noting that failing to lift the stay order could significantly harm Pakistan’s reputation.
