Pakistani women will need explicit permission from their husbands or parents to perform Hajj, according to a statement released by the Pakistani Religious Affairs Ministry on Tuesday.
For 2025, Saudi Arabia has allocated a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims to Pakistan. Of this total, 89,602 will undertake the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest will travel through private tour operators, as per the ministry’s details.
The 2025 Hajj Policy document, a copy of which was obtained, outlines that Pakistani women may travel to Saudi Arabia without a mehram, provided they meet conditions established by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).
The document states: “As decided in the Council of Islamic Ideology’s 232nd session on June 6–7, 2023, a female pilgrim without a mehram may perform Hajj if: (a) she has received approval from her parents, or, if married, from her husband; and (b) she is part of a reliable group of female pilgrims, and her dignity is not at risk.”
Historically, Pakistani women were not allowed to travel alone to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.
However, in 2021, Saudi Arabia introduced a major change, allowing women to travel independently for Hajj and Umrah. This initiative was part of a broader effort by Saudi leadership to enhance women’s rights within the kingdom.
Additionally, the Hajj Policy states that children under the age of 12 are not permitted to participate in the pilgrimage, and all pilgrims must receive vaccines approved by Saudi health authorities.
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