In order to facilitate aspiring pilgrims, the Ministry of Religious Affairs on Tuesday extended deadline for submission of Hajj applications until December 10. The previous deadline was set to expire on December 3. In a statement, Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Chaudhry Salik Hussain said that all Hajj applications, under the government Hajj scheme, have been approved. “All Hajj applications received from the 18th of the last month till Tuesday have been accepted.” He further said that all the applications under the sponsorship scheme have also been approved without any balloting. The minister said overseas Pakistanis should deposit the sponsorship fee by the 10th of this month. Under the 2025 Hajj policy, 179,210 Pakistani would perform Hajj next year. The quota would be bifurcated equally (89,605 each) between the government and private Hajj schemes. Out of the government Hajj scheme, at least 5,000 seats would be reserved for sponsorship scheme. According to reports, 70,000 Hajj applications from intending pilgrims would be received by tonight, which would be approved without balloting. Application received after December 3 would be accepted probably via balloting as the minister said: “If applications exceed quota, a balloting will be held.” The applicants are depositing Rs200,000 along with the application while the second installment of Rs400,000 would be received from those aspiring pilgrims whose names are finalised by the authorities. The successful Hajj applicants will deposit the remaining Hajj expenses by February 10, 2024. A spokesperson of the ministry said that schedule of Hajj flights would be finalised after the process of receiving applications is completed. The Hajj expenses would vary between Rs1,075,000 and Rs1,175,000.