Can still go for Hajj 2024: deadline extended, restriction on performing Hajj for someone else removed

Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has announced that the application submission deadline for Hajj 2024 has been extended by 10 days as the previously announced December 12 deadline expired on Tuesday (today). Now the last day is December 22, reports Geo.

A five-year restriction on Hajj-e-Badal, the Hajj performed by a person on account of another, has been removed.

Pilgrims who have performed Hajj in the last five years are also eligible to apply for Hajj 2024.

The statement said that Hajj applications in the sponsorship scheme are being received on a “first come first served” basis.

In the wake of lessening foreign exchange reserves, the government has announced that those paying their dues in dollars from abroad will be declared as “winners” without the need for balloting.

Pakistan has secured 179,000 Hajj seats, with half reserved for private Hajj operators.

The announcement comes after the government decided to reduce Hajj expenses by Rs100,000 with the next year’s pilgrimage set to cost Rs1,075,000 to around 89,605 Pakistanis expected to perform Hajj under the government scheme.

Pilgrims can choose between both long and short-term packages spanning over 38 to 42 and 20 to 25 days, respectively.

It is important to note that the extension is made as the number of applicants for government hajj scheme 2024 has been unusually low which the ministry pronounced to be “disappointing”.