The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has authorised private Hajj organising companies and their affiliates to begin bookings for Hajj 2025.

The booking window for the Private Hajj Scheme will be open from January 10 to January 31, 2025, spokesperson Muhammad Umar Butt said on Friday.

The ministry has also released detailed information about various Hajj packages available under the scheme on its official website.

Umar stated that the basic Hajj packages range from Rs1.1 million to Rs2.15 million. Any premium packages exceeding Rs3 million will require approval from the Hajj Policy Formulation Committee.

Private Hajj operators are mandated to adhere to the service provider agreement when booking pilgrims for Hajj 2025, according to the spokesperson. For packages priced above Rs3 million, operators must provide comprehensive details during the approval process.

Umar further emphasised that all financial transactions related to packages exceeding Rs3 million will be reported to the Federal Board of Revenue and other pertinent authorities.

He advised pilgrims considering private Hajj packages to confirm the registration of their chosen company through the ministry’s website or the ‘Pak Hajj’ mobile app before making any payments. The ministry has issued strict guidelines that all payments should be conducted through the company’s official bank account, and pilgrims should receive a signed service agreement for their selected package.

Umar encouraged pilgrims to carefully examine the facilities included in their Hajj packages prior to finalising their bookings.