“In response to the demand from prospective pilgrims, the ministry has decided to continue accepting applications on a ‘first come, first served’ basis for the few thousand remaining slots,” the ministry spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.

As many as 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims would perform Hajj in 2025, according to the Hajj Policy 2025. The Hajj quota has been divided with a ratio of 50:50 between the government and private Hajj schemes.

The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be performed at least once by all Muslims with the means, and more than 1.83 million pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia in 2024 from abroad to take part.

Last year saw more than 1.8 million people complete the Haj rites which last for several days. Around 90 per cent came from overseas, mainly from elsewhere in the Arab world and from Asia, according to official figures.

On December 3, the religious ministry extended the deadline for Hajj application submissions by seven days while acknowledging the challenges faced by residents of far-flung areas in submitting their applications.

Over 10,000 new applications were received during the one-week extension period. The decision to keep accepting applications for the limited slots was made in light of the “insistence of aspiring Hajj pilgrims.”

The ministry announced that applications would be stopped as soon as the Hajj quota is filled. New Hajj applicants have been advised to obtain a computerised receipt from the relevant bank after submitting their applications. “The allocation will be based on the date and time on the computerized receipt under the ‘first come, first served’ policy,” it added.

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According to the spokesperson, the sponsorship Hajj scheme would also continue on the same principle. An announcement regarding the date for the second instalment of Hajj dues will be made once the government quota is full.

The spokesperson advised Hajj pilgrims to utilise the ‘Pak Hajj Mobile App’ for new instructions, including the schedule for remaining dues, training, and flight information.