Islamabad: The Federal Cabinet has approved the Hajj Policy and Plan for 2027-2030.
According to Radio Pakistan, the cabinet convened in Islamabad under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where a comprehensive briefing on the newly formulated Hajj policy was presented. The policy marks a shift from the traditional one-year framework to Pakistan's inaugural four-year Hajj policy, promising improved operations and enhanced facilities for pilgrims. Standard Operating Procedures and necessary regulations will be developed to ensure the policy's effective implementation, with provisions for amendments to align with Saudi laws and regulations.
The cabinet was informed that the new policy allows aspiring pilgrims to register for Hajj continuously up to 2030, eliminating the need for annual registration and establishing a priority waiting list. A Shariah-compliant savings scheme is also being introduced to assist pilgrims in financially planning for future Hajj journeys.
The cabinet was briefed on the digitization of the entire Hajj management system, which includes digital payment solutions, a digital complaint management system, and digital monitoring. The policy allocates specific quotas for government and private Hajj schemes and introduces both long and short-duration Hajj programmes. Mandatory pilgrim training, Takaful arrangements, and emergency response mechanisms are integral components of the policy.
The Federal Cabinet directed that Hajj Muavineen appointments be conducted transparently and merit-based, and emphasized the need for third-party validation of both government and private Hajj operations.
In addition to the Hajj policy, the cabinet approved the outsourcing of services for the Isolation Hospital and Infectious Treatment Centre and the Regional Blood Centre in Islamabad to enhance healthcare quality. The Ministry of National Health Services is tasked with executing the outsourcing in line with regulatory standards.
The meeting also highlighted the performance of Pakistan Railways, noting an increase in revenue from 95 billion rupees in 2024-25 to over 115 billion rupees in the last fiscal year, marking a 24.19 percent rise. The revenue growth was attributed to an increase in freight, property, and land revenue, along with a 3.37 percent increase in passenger service revenue. Significant advancements have also been reported in the freight cargo transportation sector.