Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 23 Jun 2026, 7:03 PM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia has announced Hajj 2027 reforms that make operator staff training compulsory, bundle accommodation, transport, and catering into a unified package, and cut Hajj packages to three tiers.
The World Health Organization has praised Saudi Arabia for delivering an epidemic-free Hajj 1447 (2026) season, calling the Kingdom a global benchmark in pilgrim health protection.
Pakistan will open mandatory registration for Hajj 2027 later this month, requiring a passport valid until November 16, 2027. The country holds a quota of 179,210 pilgrims across government and private schemes.
As the 1448 AH Umrah season opens, access to the Rawdah in the Prophet's Mosque is governed entirely by digital Nusuk permits. Pilgrims are advised to book QR-code slots before arriving in Madinah.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has suspended 21 Umrah companies for poor performance and regulatory violations ahead of the 1448 AH season.
Pakistan's federal cabinet has approved a Private Hajj Policy for 2027-2030, replacing quotas with a performance-based, fully digital and cashless system.