The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony advised on Saturday intending pilgrims to get vaccinated at least five days before their departure for Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj.

“The intending pilgrims are advised to visit their respective Haji camps five days (from 9 am to 5 pm) before their flight to receive vaccination against meningitis, seasonal influenza and polio, besides obtaining a yellow card,” the ministry posted on its official Facebook page.

“This is a mandatory requirement,” it added.

Hajj, a once-in-a-lifetime religious duty for Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, is expected to run from Jun 14-19 this year.

Additionally, it said each pilgrim would receive a package containing a large travel bag, a small hand-carry bag, a shoe bag, an Ihram belt for men and a scarf for women.

Saudi Arabia last year restored Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims and abolished the upper age limit of 65 years. Over 81,000 pilgrims performed Hajj under the government scheme in 2023 while the rest used private tour operators.

Pakistan announced the results of a draw for Hajj 2024 in December 2023, with more than 63,000 applicants selected for the pilgrimage under the government scheme.