(Web Desk) The Ministry of Religious Affairs has said that women cannot go for Hajj without the permission of their husbands or parents.
According to the ministry, this year the Saudi government has given a quota of 179 thousand 210 Hajj pilgrims to Pakistan, of which about 89 thousand 602 people will travel to the Holy Hijaz under the government scheme, while the rest will do Hajj through private tour operators. According to the 2025 Hajj policy document, women can travel to Saudi Arabia alone for Hajj under the conditions set by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).
According to the document, according to the decision taken in the meeting of the Islamic Ideological Council held on 6 and 7 June 2023, a woman (without Muharram) will be allowed to perform Hajj with the conditions that she has the permission of her parents and marriage. If it is done, her husband has given permission.
Also, as per the condition specified by the Council, a woman can travel with a group of reliable female pilgrims without any threat to her dignity.
It should be noted that in the past, Pakistani women could not go to Saudi Arabia alone for Hajj, but in 2021, the Saudi government lifted the ban on women traveling alone for Hajj and Umrah, and the initiative was taken by the Saudi political leadership to allow women in the country. It was declared as part of the campaign to improve the rights situation.
The document further stated that children under the age of 12 cannot go on Hajj, while a vaccine approved by Saudi Arabia is mandatory for Hajj.