Hajj 2026 deadline today as delays trigger emergency measures in Religious Affairs Ministry

With the Saudi Arabian deadline for Hajj 2026 falling today (December 21), serious delays in the selection and documentation of Hajj welfare staff have surfaced, prompting emergency measures within the Ministry of Religious Affairs, sources said.

According to sources, the results of the written examination for medical mission candidates were received yesterday morning, while the results for Hajj assistants were conveyed to the ministry late last night. Despite the federal cabinet approving the Hajj policy in July, key data and documents were sought only one or two days before the Saudi deadline.

Sources disclosed that passports and required details of welfare staff assigned for Hajj duties could not be completed within the stipulated timeframe, raising fears of a crisis due to non-uploading of data for deployment to Saudi Arabia.

Hajj assistants, including members of the medical mission and pilgrim servants, have expressed concern over urgent instructions to submit passports and other documents within a few hours.

In response to the looming deadline, a state of emergency was imposed in the Ministry of Religious Affairs on the second last day, with staff working round the clock in two shifts. Sources said the leave of relevant officials was cancelled on Sunday to expedite the process.

Correspondence indicates that passports and other details of welfare staff must be uploaded by today on Saudi Arabia’s Masar app, along with complete documentation of Hajj assistants. Sources added that even the documents of ministry employees travelling to Saudi Arabia were requested at the last minute.

Meanwhile, passport offices across the country remained open for the second consecutive day following a request by the Ministry of Religious Affairs to the Director General of Passports to treat the matter as a “top priority.”

Sources warned that any further delay could have serious consequences, recalling that more than 63,000 Pakistanis were deprived of performing Hajj in 2025 due to administrative issues.