The federal cabinet on Tuesday approved the first-ever four-year Haj policy and plan, instructing authorities to complete digitisation of the operation to ensure better facilities for pilgrims, state-broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired the meeting of the federal cabinet, where participants received a detailed briefing on the long-term Haj policy.
Key Features of the New Haj Policy
The cabinet members were told that the new policy was designed to improve operations and provide better facilities to pilgrims. Standard operating procedures and other regulatory frameworks will be developed for its implementation. Furthermore, amendments will be made as needed to keep it aligned with Saudi laws and regulations. To ensure affordability, the cabinet also approved the introduction of a Shariah-compliant savings scheme to enable aspiring pilgrims to benefit from a savings plan for performing Haj in the future.
The meeting was apprised that under the latest policy, aspiring pilgrims will be able to register for Haj in any year up to 2030, allowing the ministry to prepare a priority waiting list. The entire Haj management system is being digitised to support online payment mechanisms, with the introduction of complaint management and monitoring systems as well.
Quota Allocation and Training
Under the newly approved policy, the cabinet was told that separate quotas were allocated for government and private Haj schemes, including options for a long and short stay. The policy also mandated training for pilgrims, takaful arrangements, and emergency response mechanisms. The cabinet directed the authorities to appoint Haj Moavineen on merit through a transparent mechanism. It further instructed that third-party validation of both government and private Haj operations should also be ensured to facilitate pilgrims.
The cabinet also commended Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf and his team for the successful management of this year's pilgrimage.
Other Cabinet Approvals
The cabinet also approved a policy to outsource services at the Isolation Hospital and Infectious Treatment Centre and the Regional Blood Centre in Islamabad to improve citizens' access to healthcare, with the Ministry of National Health Services to implement it. The cabinet members were also briefed on the performance of Pakistan Railways, including that its revenue rose from Rs95 billion in 2024-25 to over Rs115 billion in the last fiscal year, registering an increase of 24.19%, mainly driven by freight revenue. Authorities said the railways' freight revenue increased by more than Rs8 billion, other revenue by Rs7 billion, and property and land revenue by Rs6 billion.
The meeting's participants were apprised that the revenue from passenger services increased by 3.37% during the same time period. They were further informed that, besides improvements in railway operations, significant progress had also been made in freight cargo logistics.
