The hajj price in Pakistan in 2022 is expected to range from Rs700,000 to Rs1 million. People have many questions about this event, including how COVID-19 may affect the Hajj, how old you must be to perform the Hajj, and how the Road to Makkah expansion is helping Pakistani Hujjaj. In this article, we will answer those questions and more.
Hajj expenses are expected to be around Rs700,000 to 1 million
The Saudi Arabian government has increased the costs of Hajj in recent years, and this is reflected in the costs for pilgrims. A person must have at least Rs. 700,000 for the Hajj, which is likely to go up even higher in the coming years due to social separation. The cost of the Hajj may also increase due to the need for a booster rabies vaccine.
Although Saudi Arabia has reduced its Hajj quota for Muslim countries by 50 per cent, Pakistan is still expecting a surge in pilgrims this summer. The Hajj Directorate-General is in touch with relevant Saudi departments. This year, Saudi Arabia cut the quota for all Muslim countries to 45 per cent. The Saudi government allocated one million pilgrims to all nations. Pakistan is scheduled to send 81,132 pilgrims to the Hajj this year, which means it will allocate 60 per cent of its quota to private Hajj operators and 40 per cent to itself.
Hajj age limit for pilgrims is 65
A recent announcement by the Haj Committee of India and the Saudi Arabian government has changed the age limit for Haj pilgrims. Under the new guidelines, pilgrims must be 65 or under and vaccinated against COVID-19. Saudi Arabia has yet to determine how many quotas will be provided to countries for their pilgrimages. Until then, the Pakistani government will continue to work with other countries to reduce the age requirement to 65.
According to Islamic religious law, the Hajj age limit for Pakistanis is 65. The religious department of Pakistan has not yet released the final cost estimate. However, it says the Hajj directorate-General is in contact with the relevant departments in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government has cut the quota for all Muslim countries by 45 per cent. The government expects to send around 80 per cent of its quota to private Hajj operators and 40 per cent to itself.
COVID-19 affects the Hajj
The COVID-19 outbreak has raised questions about whether COVID-19 vaccination will affect the Hajj price in Pakistan in 2021 and beyond. Saudi Arabia has recently instituted several new requirements for Hajj pilgrims, including vaccination against COVID-19. In addition, pilgrims must be aged 65 or younger to participate in the Hajj, and they must also be vaccinated against the disease. While the government can set the requirements for Hajj, the State Haj Committee is only permitted to follow guidelines developed by government agencies.
Due to the outbreak, the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has already limited the number of pilgrims allowed to perform the Hajj. The country will now allow only one million foreign and domestic pilgrims to take the Hajj. Those who are not 65 years old and have had full vaccination against the disease must take a PCR test before they can travel. In addition, foreign pilgrims must have negative results from a COVID test within 72 hours before they depart for Mecca.
Road to Makkah expansion for Pakistani Hujjaj
Earlier this year, the governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement for Hajj pilgrimages. Under this deal, 200,000 Pakistani Muslims will be able to perform Hajj next year. The agreement was signed during a meeting between Pakistan’s Minister of Religious Affairs, Noorul Haq Qadri, and his Saudi counterpart, Dr Mohammed Bintan. Minister Haqqi welcomed the progress made in the Pak-Saudi joint initiative, the “Road to Makkah”, and its expansion into the region.
According to the agreement, the government of Pakistan has agreed to grant PKR 25000 to 58000 to every Pakistani Hujjaj who has travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform the ritual. The amount of money returned to each pilgrim will depend on the money they save during their journey to Madina. It will cover the cost of accommodation, transportation, food contracts, and other necessities during the Hajj.
