Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs said on Friday that more than 58,000 people have so far applied for the 2026 Hajj. To make the process easier, designated banks will also be open on Saturday, August 9, to keep accepting applications.

For 2026, Saudi Arabia has given Pakistan a quota of 179,210 pilgrims. Out of these, 129,210 will go under the government scheme, and the rest will be managed by private tour operators.

The government is offering two options: a long Hajj trip of 38 to 42 days and a shorter one of 20 to 25 days. The cost for the government-arranged packages is estimated between Rs1.15 million and Rs1.25 million (around $4,050 to $4,236).

Applications are being accepted online and through 14 banks authorized by the State Bank of Pakistan. They are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants must pay their first installment by Saturday, and the second will be collected in November.

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The ministry noted that the quota for 2025 was the same, but many private sector seats went unused because tour operators failed to complete payments and registration on time. The government, however, used all of its quota of over 88,000 pilgrims.

Private Hajj operators said the unused quota was due to technical problems, including issues with payment processing and poor communication.