Pakistan Collects Rs61bn in Second Hajj Payments Ahead of Deadline
By Abdulrazaq Auwal
Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has collected Rs61 billion (N857.25 billion) from prospective pilgrims under the government 2027 Hajj scheme as the deadline for payment of the second installment fell on October 20.
About 97,000 applicants had paid the installment through the digital Hajj portal, according to figures reported by ARY News.
Payment records showed that 45,245 applicants paid through 1Link, while 3,685 used debit or credit cards. Another 47,563 applicants made payments through manual bank challans.
Before the deadline, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Religious Affairs urged applicants who had yet to settle their outstanding dues to complete payment, warning that failure to meet the requirement could lead to cancellation of their applications.
The ministry had directed intending pilgrims to make payments through the National Information Technology Board’s Hajj portal or the Pak Hajj mobile application.
Pakistan Collects Rs61bn in Second Hajj Payments Ahead of Deadline
Applicants were also reminded to complete the mandatory medical fitness certification process as part of preparations for the pilgrimage.
The ministry said pilgrims were required to download the prescribed medical form from the Hajj portal; have it verified by an authorised doctor and upload the signed certificate to the portal.
It also encouraged applicants to use the Pak Hajj application for official updates and further instructions concerning Hajj preparations.
The October 20 deadline marked the final date announced for payment of the second installment under Pakistan’s government Hajj scheme.
The ministry’s figures indicated substantial participation in the payment process, although the number of applicants who ultimately completed payment by the deadline was not immediately confirmed.
