67,000 Pakistanis left in limbo after Hajj funds sent to wrong Saudi account

Thousands of Pakistani pilgrims risk missing this year’s Hajj after the government mistakenly transferred millions of dollars in payments to the wrong Saudi account, officials confirmed this week.

Malik Muhammad Aamir Dogar, chair of Pakistan’s Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, told lawmakers that around 50 million Saudi riyals ( USD 13.3 million) meant for Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj were instead sent to an account reportedly linked to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Dogar described the incident as one of the “biggest scandals in the country’s history," warning that 67,000 Pakistanis who had booked through the government’s system could be left unable to travel.

“This is not just about money — it’s about the dreams and faith of 67,000 Pakistanis,” he said. Dogar called for an investigation into whether government officials or private Hajj operators were responsible and demanded refunds if the pilgrims' journeys could not proceed.

Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, federal minister for religious affairs, expressed regret and promised efforts were underway to recover the funds. He said the government had already secured an additional 10,000 Hajj slots and was negotiating for more.

The error has worsened Pakistan’s broader Hajj management crisis this year. Of the 179,210 Hajj places granted to Pakistan by Saudi Arabia, half were allocated to private operators, who have so far filled only 23,000 slots. Private companies blame delays on Saudi Arabia’s new online booking system, while government officials accuse them of deliberately stalling.

The mistake could also affect Pakistani dual nationals living in Europe and the Americas who registered for Hajj through Pakistan’s portal after Saudi Arabia centralized bookings in countries such as the United Kingdom and United States.

Thousands of pilgrims remain in limbo as the government scrambles to resolve the situation.