ISLAMABAD (Daily Point) — The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has officially announced the date for the draw in the regular Hajj scheme.

In a statement by the ministry’s spokesperson, Muhammad Umar Butt, it was disclosed that the draw is scheduled to take place next Thursday. Notably, the ministry has opted not to extend the application deadline, making today the final day for submissions.

However, an exception has been made for the sponsorship scheme, with the deadline for applications extended until the end of this month, the 31st. This decision was made in response to requests from overseas Pakistanis.

Earlier reports had suggested that the ministry, in light of a lackluster response, had chosen to prolong the application period for the sponsorship scheme. Sources indicated that only slightly over 3,000 applications had been received up to that point.

In terms of the regular Hajj scheme, Muhammad Umar Butt revealed that more than 66,000 individuals have already applied.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Aviation Authority has issued a deadline for airlines to submit their Hajj flight schedules. All airlines have been notified that they must provide their flight schedules by January 2, 2024.