Pakistan has fixed the cost of its 2027 government Hajj scheme at up to Rs1.3 million (about $4,695) per pilgrim, with payments opening on August 17 as the country shifts its entire pilgrimage application process onto a digital system. Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf announced the packages at a televised news conference in Islamabad on Monday.
The pricing gives prospective pilgrims a firm figure to plan around after months of registration and policy changes. According to the minister, applicants selected for a package will pay half of the total cost in the first installment before their places are confirmed.
Two package options
The government scheme offers two tiers. The long package, covering roughly 40 days in Saudi Arabia, is set at Rs1,200,000 (about $4,334). The short package, covering 20 to 25 days, is set at Rs1,300,000 (about $4,695).
Although the shorter trip carries the higher price, it appeals to pilgrims who cannot take more than three weeks away from work and family. The minister said the government has reserved 30,000 slots for the shorter scheme. Payments for each package will stop once its quota is filled, so timing matters for applicants hoping to secure a specific option.
Pakistan has allocated 107,526 slots under the government scheme for 2027. Around 400,000 people who completed mandatory pre-registration are eligible to proceed with applications and secure places on a first-come, first-served basis. The private scheme has been allocated a further 71,684 slots, with pilgrims able to view and select packages from 25 authorized Hajj organizers.
A fully digital process
The most significant shift for 2027 is the move to a fully digital application and payment system. Pilgrims can now complete applications and make payments through the Pak Hajj app and an online portal, a change the ministry says is designed to reduce queues, travel costs and waiting times.
Habib Bank Limited has been appointed the ministry's banking partner. Applicants can pay directly through the digital system or generate a digital form and pay at an HBL branch. The minister said private-scheme payments would also flow through the government's digital system, and he urged pilgrims to use official channels and avoid unauthorized payments.
The announcement builds on a broader restructuring of how Pakistan manages the pilgrimage. Mandatory registration for aspiring pilgrims opened on June 22, and the federal cabinet last month approved the country's first four-year Hajj policy. That policy removes the need for prospective pilgrims to register every year, allowing them to remain in a rolling pool for the 2027 through 2030 seasons.
What pilgrims should do now
Pakistani pilgrims planning for 2027 should prepare early. Confirm that pre-registration is complete and that personal and passport details on the Pak Hajj app match travel documents exactly, since errors can delay an application. Decide in advance whether the long or short package suits personal circumstances, because the 30,000 short-scheme slots are limited and payments close when quotas fill.
Applicants should also arrange funds ahead of the August 17 opening, as half of the package cost is due in the first installment. Payments should only be made through the official Pak Hajj app, the online portal, or a Habib Bank Limited branch. Pilgrims should treat any request for payment through other channels as a red flag and verify it with the Ministry of Religious Affairs before handing over money.
Finally, pilgrims are advised to keep digital and printed copies of every receipt and confirmation generated by the system. In a newly digitized process, a clear personal record is the simplest safeguard against disputes over slots or payments in the months leading up to the pilgrimage.