Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has given the green light to Pakistan’s inaugural four-year Hajj Policy and Plan covering 2027 to 2030. This comprehensive framework includes a Shariah-compliant savings scheme designed to assist citizens in financially preparing for their future pilgrimages. The decision came during a federal cabinet meeting held in Islamabad, where the prime minister emphasized enhancing planning, operational efficiency, and facilities for prospective pilgrims.
The cabinet praised Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf and his team for successfully managing this year’s Hajj arrangements. Unlike the previous annual policies, the new approach offers a long-term, four-year roadmap to streamline preparations. Standard operating procedures and regulations will be formulated for the policy’s execution, with amendments made as needed to align with Saudi laws and regulations.
Under this policy, pilgrims will only need to register once for any Hajj season up to 2030, eliminating the need for yearly registration. This change will facilitate the creation of a priority waiting list. Additionally, the government will introduce a Shariah-compliant Hajj savings scheme to support citizens in planning their finances for future pilgrimages. The entire Hajj management system—including payments, complaint resolution, and monitoring—will be digitized to boost transparency and efficiency.
The policy further distinguishes quotas for government and private Hajj schemes and offers both long and short Hajj packages. It mandates pilgrim training, Takaful insurance coverage, and emergency response measures. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also directed that Hajj assistant appointments be conducted transparently and strictly on merit. He emphasized the need for independent third-party verification of services provided under both public and private Hajj schemes.
In another significant move, the cabinet approved outsourcing the services of the Isolation Hospital and Infectious Treatment Centre (IHITC) and the Regional Blood Centre (RBC) in Islamabad to enhance healthcare service quality. The Ministry of National Health Services was tasked with completing the outsourcing process in line with established rules and regulations.
Meanwhile, the cabinet reviewed Pakistan Railways’ performance in a briefing by Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi. It was revealed that railway revenues rose from Rs95 billion in the 2024-25 fiscal year to over Rs115 billion in 2025-26, marking a 24.19% increase. Key revenue growth included more than Rs8 billion from freight, over Rs7 billion from other income, upwards of Rs6 billion from property and land, and a 3.37% rise in passenger revenue.
Finally, the federal cabinet ratified the decisions made during the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases (CCLC) meeting on May 19, 2026, and the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting on July 2, 2026.
