Court Restrains Final Quota for New Hajj Operators

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has temporarily restrained authorities from making a final Hajj quota allocation to new private Hajj operators while seeking detailed responses from the federal government and the Ministry of Religious Affairs over a challenge to the Hajj Policy and Plan 2027–2030 and the process introduced for new organisers.

Court Issues Notices to Government

Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro issued notices to the federal government, Ministry of Religious Affairs and other respondents on a petition filed by registered Hajj Group Organisers who say they were not allocated Hajj quota despite their previous registration, scrutiny and experience.

The court, however, declined the petitioners’ request to immediately suspend the entire process initiated under the July 21 public notice concerning applications for Pre-Registration Clearance Certificates (PRCCs) for new organisers.

Instead, the IHC allowed the authorities to continue proceedings under the July 21 notice but directed that no final Hajj quota be allocated to new operators until the next hearing.

IHC Seeks Details of Hajj Policy

The court has sought the minutes relating to the preparation and approval of the Hajj Policy and Plan 2027–2030. It also directed the respondents to provide details of the procedure adopted for independent third-party scrutiny of new groups and the criteria prescribed for new Hajj operators.

According to the written order as described in the petition proceedings, counsel for the petitioners argued that the applicants are registered Hajj Group Organisers but have not received quota despite being on the merit list. The lawyer maintained that the petitioners had already undergone scrutiny under the previous system and argued that their earlier registration, evaluation and experience had effectively been rendered meaningless by the new framework.

The petitioners also questioned the introduction of two categories under the policy and challenged the process for bringing new operators into the private Hajj scheme.

Court Raises Questions Over New Operators

The court observed that one of the questions requiring examination was whether the Hajj Policy and Plan 2027–2030 had been formulated by the competent authority in accordance with the applicable law and rules. It also raised the question of whether previously registered but non-quota Hajj Group Organisers could be overlooked under the new arrangement.

The bench noted that completing the quota-distribution process before adjudication could affect the rights of the parties and potentially render the petition ineffective.

At the same time, the court acknowledged the time-sensitive nature of Hajj arrangements and held that it would not be appropriate at this stage to suspend the process initiated through the July 21 notice altogether.

The Assistant Attorney General received notices in court on behalf of the federal side. The respondents have been directed to submit detailed replies before the next hearing.

Next Hearing on August 26

The case has been adjourned until August 26, 2026, with the Registrar’s Office directed to fix it for hearing on that date in view of the time-sensitive Hajj arrangements.

The dispute comes against the backdrop of Pakistan’s first four-year Hajj policy framework. The federal cabinet approved the Hajj Policy and Plan 2027–2030 in July, describing it as a move from annual policies toward longer-term planning and improved operations.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs officially lists the Hajj Policy and Plan 2027–2030 among its Hajj documents. Its website also records a July 21, 2026 public notice inviting applications for Pre-Registration Clearance Certificates, the process now under scrutiny before the IHC.

An official notification concerning the private Hajj policy states that the Private Hajj Policy 2027–2030 was notified for the regulation, management and facilitation of operations under Pakistan’s Private Hajj Scheme.