Pakistani pilgrims planning to perform Umrah will soon be required to book exclusively through operators approved by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, under a new regulatory framework notified this week to curb fraud and protect travelers.
The move formalizes the ministry oversight mandated under the Hajj and Umrah Act 2024, which places all Umrah arrangements squarely within its regulatory ambit for the first time.
To administer the new system, the ministry has constituted an Umrah Policy Committee, chaired by its Additional Secretary and drawing members from the Ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, and Law, along with the Cabinet Division.
A full list of licensed operators is to be published on the ministry website, officials said, with pilgrims strongly urged to steer clear of unregistered companies.
Anyone who books with an unapproved operator will bear the risk alone, the ministry cautioned, noting that it will investigate complaints only where the company involved holds official approval.
Beyond choosing a licensed operator, pilgrims have been instructed to route all payments through formal banking channels and to keep receipts, contracts, and other documentation on hand in case disputes arise.
Officials framed the reforms as a bid to bring greater transparency and accountability to an industry long plagued by unregulated operators, saying the rules are designed to protect pilgrims financially and push illegal service providers out of the market.
