With just one day left before the Saudi Arabia deadline, Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has urgently requested that passport offices across the country remain open on Saturday and Sunday to ensure timely issuance of passports for Hajj welfare staff. The move aims to prevent delays in uploading mandatory documents before December 21.
In an official letter sent to the Director General of Passports, the ministry described the matter as extremely urgent, stressing that passports of Hajj welfare staff must be uploaded on a designated Saudi app before the deadline.
Sources told that an emergency has been declared at the ministry, with all staff leaves cancelled to speed up the process. Despite these measures, several welfare staff members are still waiting for passport issuance.
The ministry has also sought immediate issuance of passports for 268 members of the Hajj Medical Mission, noting that they are linked to the armed forces and require urgent clearance to perform their duties during the pilgrimage.
The situation reflects broader administrative challenges, as over 63,000 Pakistanis were unable to perform Hajj in 2025 due to procedural and logistical delays, raising concerns over preparedness ahead of future pilgrimages.