Shocking revelations have surfaced regarding the Hajj 2025 operations, as a major financial blunder has put the pilgrimage of over 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims at risk.
According to the Hajj Organizers Association of Pakistan (HOAP), a staggering 50 million Saudi Riyals were mistakenly transferred to the wrong account, severely disrupting the payment process.
The issue was brought to light during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony, chaired by Malik Muhammad Aamir Dogar. HOAP representatives informed the committee that despite not receiving an official notification of the October 23 deadline for Hajj payments, private tour operators had remitted the required funds five days in advance.
However, due to a critical error, the funds were transferred—via the office of the Director General (DG) Hajj—into an account belonging to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) instead of the designated Saudi Hajj account. This mistake led to a month-long delay as Saudi authorities struggled to trace the funds in their systems.
HOAP also alleged that private tour operators were restricted from collecting Hajj applications, as the Ministry of Religious Affairs focused on fulfilling quotas under the government scheme, hampering private operators' ability to meet their own targets.
Committee Chairman Dogar demanded accountability for what he called one of the "biggest scandals in the country’s history." Committee member Shagufta Jumani held the Secretary of Religious Affairs and the DG Hajj responsible for the oversight and proposed the formation of a sub-committee to seek Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s direct intervention.
The Secretary of the Religious Affairs Ministry claimed ignorance of the transaction error and deflected responsibility to the DG Hajj. Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf confirmed that a committee headed by Musadik Malik has been formed to prevent future lapses. He also noted that Pakistan’s Hajj quota of 179,610 pilgrims was not fully utilized this year.
