ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has directed private Hajj operators to complete visa processing for Hajj 2026 by March 15, ahead of the deadline set by Saudi Arabia.

According to the ministry, the directive was issued to avoid delays due to the upcoming Eid holidays or other unforeseen circumstances.

In a March 9 letter sent to the chairman of the Hajj Organisers Association of Pakistan (HOAP) and Hajj companies, the ministry stressed that visa processing of Hajj 2026 must be completed by March 15.

Earlier, HOAP was informed that Saudi authorities had set March 20 as the final deadline for issuing Hajj visas, which would not be extended under any circumstances.

The ministry advised all Hajj companies to finalise visa processing for their respective pilgrims well before the deadline and directed HOAP to submit daily reports on visa issuance.

A representative of HOAP said operators were effectively short by five days following the new directive and had sought some relaxation from the ministry.

An official of the ministry said that the visa process under the government’s regular scheme was progressing smoothly in line with Saudi guidelines, adding that biometric verification for more than 119,000 intending pilgrims had already been completed.

He added that preparations for the next Hajj operation would begin soon after the completion of the Hajj-2026 arrangements.

Overall, around 60,000 Pakistanis are expected to perform Hajj under the private scheme this year.

Separately, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, currently in Makkah to perform Umrah, met senior Islamic scholar Saad Al-Shathri, adviser to the Royal Court of King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

During the meeting, the minister conveyed the sentiments of the people and government of Pakistan regarding the situation in the Middle East and reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Saudi Arabia.

Saad Al-Shathri reciprocated the sentiments and prayed for the prosperity and stability of Pakistan.