Pakistan has set the Hajj 2027 cost at Rs. 1.2 million for the 40 to 42-day package and Rs. 1.3 million for the 20 to 22-day package, with the government shifting the pilgrimage process toward a fully digital system.
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf announced the package costs at a press conference in Islamabad, saying applications, payments and other Hajj-related procedures will increasingly be handled through the Pak Hajj app.
The government will begin collecting the first installment of Hajj expenses from August 17, while the second installment will be payable in the second week of October, according to the minister.
Under the government scheme, 30,000 seats have been reserved for pilgrims choosing the shorter Hajj package.
Yousuf said around 400,000 registered pilgrims are currently progressing through the application process. Those unable to perform Hajj in 2027 will be placed on the waiting list for the following year, he added.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs has selected Habib Bank as its authorized banking partner for Hajj payments. An agreement between the ministry and Habib Bank Islamic is scheduled to be signed on Monday.
The minister said the government had invited banks to participate in the payment arrangement, but only Habib Bank fulfilled the required criteria, particularly those linked to digital payment facilities.
Pilgrims opting for the private Hajj scheme will also be able to make their payments through the Pak Hajj app. The ministry has directed that Hajj-related financial transactions be processed digitally, while private pilgrims will be able to choose their service provider from the approved online companies.
Habib Bank Islamic head Asad Khan said around 99 percent of the bank’s branches nationwide will provide digital payment facilities for Hajj pilgrims. Payments can also be made through credit and debit cards.
Khan said the bank operates more than 1,700 branches across Pakistan, with Islamic banking services available at around 80 percent of its branches in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The bank is also expanding its Islamic banking network in Balochistan.
He added that Habib Bank would not charge pilgrims any fee for Hajj payments made through its Islamic banking arrangement.
