PESHAWAR: In a shocking development tied to the ongoing Hajj controversy, members of the Hajj & Umrah Organizers Association Pakistan have revealed that approximately Rs200 billion—transferred to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage arrangements—remains stuck, potentially affecting nearly 67,000 intending pilgrims who have yet to receive Saudi visas.
At a press conference in Peshawar, Kamran Zaib, a representative of the private organizers, disclosed that over 2.67 billion Saudi Riyals (SAR) had been sent to Saudi Arabia, far surpassing earlier estimates of SAR480 million (around Rs36 billion). He clarified that the total included payments from both the pilgrims and the organizers themselves, some of whom had sent funds in advance, expecting to recover the amount from pilgrims later.
Zaib emphasized that this figure also includes funds from overseas Pakistanis, who make up roughly 30% of the nearly 89,000 pilgrims affected.
He further stated that Rs220 million had been paid in advance tax to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), while another Rs1.58 billion had been transferred to the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Despite fulfilling all official requirements, he said, the government has failed to offer a clear process for refunding the money collected from the pilgrims.
Funds Collected After Deadline Sparks Questions
Raising concerns about the regulatory oversight, Zaib pointed out that funds were still being accepted even after the February 14 deadline. “If the deadline had passed, why were payments still being collected?” he asked.
He also highlighted the logistical challenges faced by private organisers, who were allowed to transfer a maximum of Rs300,000 per day to Saudi Arabia. Given that the payment window was only open from January 10 to February 14, he said it was practically impossible to transfer the entire amount within the allotted time.
Adding to the criticism, another organiser, Abid Awan, noted that it would have taken at least 45 days to transfer the required funds under the imposed cap, yet organisers were given just 13 days. “Our hands and feet were tied, and then we were blamed,” Awan said, denouncing the mishandling by authorities.
Organisers Appeal to Army Chief and Prime Minister
Concluding the press conference, the organisers made a direct appeal to the Army Chief and the Prime Minister, urging them to step in and resolve the crisis. They called for immediate measures to protect the deposits made by pilgrims—particularly those from abroad—and to hold accountable those responsible for the administrative failures.
