The Senate Sub-Committee on Religious Affairs has raised serious concerns over the failure to facilitate 63,000 Pakistani pilgrims for Hajj 2025, demanding immediate accountability from the director general (DG) Hajj and private Hajj operators.
Chairing the session, Senator Aun Abbas Bappi strongly reprimanded the Hajj DG and called for full transparency, particularly regarding the contract awarded to Saudi-based Al-Raji Company for Hajj services. The committee ordered that all documents related to the contract be presented in the next meeting.
Thousands miss Hajj despite payments
Officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs informed the committee that 63,000 pilgrims were unable to perform Hajj this year, even though 40,000 of them had already made payments — funds that were transferred to Saudi Arabia’s e-wallet system.
“The money of those who couldn’t go on Hajj must be returned to Pakistan by August 15,” Senator Bappi directed, emphasizing that either the DG Hajj or private operators must take responsibility for the failure.
According to the ministry, more than 90,830 pilgrims were registered through private Hajj operators, out of which only 26,986 performed Hajj. In total, 489 million Saudi Riyals were collected from private pilgrims, but concerns were raised about the whereabouts and handling of these funds.
“The money may be in Saudi accounts, but you are the trustee of Pakistani pilgrims,” Bappi told the DG Hajj. “You should know exactly where the money is, and what the consequences of this negligence could be.”
Operators under fire for absence
Committee member Bushra Anjum Butt expressed outrage that none of the private Hajj operators appeared before the committee despite being summoned. “These operators must be held accountable. The list of absent operators should be published, and the Ministry should no longer trust them with public funds,” she said.
Butt further recommended the creation of a new list of reliable private operators for future Hajj seasons, stressing that “private Hajj operators have proved untrustworthy.”
Data, refunds, and committee orders
The committee has:
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Directed the ministry to return funds of all unaccommodated pilgrims by August 15.
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Requested a detailed list including names, addresses, operators, and amounts paid by affected pilgrims.
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Asked the DG Hajj to submit six months of bank statements and full documentation of the contract with Al-Raji Company.
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Ordered strict action against illegal operators and those who failed to deliver on their commitments.
While the secretary of religious affairs stated that 20,000 refunds have been processed, he also noted that Pak-Saudi relations must be considered in all discussions related to foreign-held funds.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already formed a ministerial committee, including the law minister, to investigate the matter at the highest level.
Senator Bappi concluded the session by reaffirming the committee’s commitment to justice: “This is not just about money. It’s about the faith and trust of thousands of Pakistanis. We must ensure no such negligence ever happens again.”
