Islamabad: The government has officially announced the Hajj Policy for 2025, outlining the participation of 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims for the pilgrimage. This announcement was made by Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, during a press conference in Islamabad. According to Radio Pakistan, the Minister elaborated on the allocation of the Hajj quota, which has been divided evenly between government and private Hajj schemes, with each receiving 89,605 seats. The policy also includes a sponsorship scheme, reserving 5,000 seats under the government Hajj Scheme and 30,000 for private tour operators. The foreign exchange for these seats must be sent through banking channels. Chaudhry Salik Hussain emphasized that the sponsorship scheme under the government will operate on a 'first come, first served' basis, exempting it from balloting. The foreign exchange collected via this scheme will be dedicated to Hajj-related expenses in Saudi Arabia. The policy also specifies that the traditional long stay for government scheme pilgrims will be between 38 to 42 days, while the short stay will range from 20 to 25 days. Private Hajj groups must consist of at least 2,000 pilgrims as per Saudi regulations. Discussing the costs, the Minister stated that the Government Hajj Scheme expenses are expected to be between 1,075,000 to 1,175,000 rupees, with an additional 55,000 rupees for sacrificial costs. For accommodations in Makkah, applicants choosing double-bed arrangements will need to deposit an extra 220,000 rupees, and those opting for triple-bed accommodations will require an additional 75,000 rupees. The payment plan under the Government Hajj Scheme requires an initial installment of 200,000 rupees with the application, followed by a second installment of 400,000 rupees within ten days post-balloting. The remaining amount must be paid by February 10 of the following year. No deductions will be made for refunds if applications are withdrawn before the submission deadline, but a 50,000 rupee deduction applies after balloting if the first installment is refunded. Failure to deposit the third installment will result in a 200,000 rupee deduction. The policy stipulates no refunds after February 10, except in cases where the applicant passes away, where deductions will not apply. Hajj applications are scheduled to be received between the 18th of this month and the third of the next, with balloting set for the sixth of the following month.