Pakistan Wins Hajj Excellence Award Once Again
The Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, announced on Sunday that Pakistan has successfully completed its Hajj 2026 operations and once again earned the international “Labbaitum Excellence Award,” marking its second consecutive win. The country also secured three global awards for the performance of its private Hajj scheme.
Addressing a post-Hajj press conference at the Pakistan Hajj Mission in Makkah, the minister said that this year the complaint ratio dropped to below one percent due to strong and well-organized arrangements.
He attributed the success to close coordination between the Government of Pakistan, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Pakistan Hajj Mission, and the Saudi authorities. He added that, under the special instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, pilgrims were provided with high-quality facilities throughout their journey.
With a quota of 180,000 pilgrims, Pakistan remains the world’s second-largest Hajj management operator. The country’s efforts were widely appreciated at an international forum led by the Saudi Minister of Hajj, where both public and private sectors from Pakistan received recognition for their outstanding performance.
The minister further highlighted that improved arrangements for accommodation, transport, and catering kept complaints under one percent. He also noted that the expansion of the “Road to Makkah” initiative to Lahore allowed around 80 percent of Pakistani pilgrims to complete immigration procedures smoothly before departure. In Madinah, well-located hotels ranging from five-star to budget categories were arranged in the central Markaziya area.
He also praised the Hajj Medical Mission and the Saudi German Hospital for their coordination, which enabled 146 critically ill and elderly pilgrims to complete essential rituals, including Arafat stay and Tawaf-e-Ziyarah, through specialized medical transport.
Highlighting operational challenges, the minister said that fake news and misinformation on social media remained a major issue during Hajj 2026. He noted that despite attempts to distort facts, the mainstream media played a responsible role in presenting accurate information to the public.
He emphasized that Hajj is a sacred duty and a collective act of service, adding that there is no room for political point-scoring in such matters.
He expressed gratitude to the Saudi leadership, including Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Minister of Hajj Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, and Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, for their continued cooperation.
Looking ahead, the minister said that the Saudi Ministry of Hajj has already released timelines for the Hajj 1448 AH (2027) season, and preparations have officially begun.