New Saudi Rules Force PM Shehbaz to Order Overhaul of Pakistan’s Hajj Operations

The federal government has constituted a high-level Reform committee under the chairmanship of Minister for Climate Change Dr. Musadiq Malik to review the existing legal and regulatory framework of Hajj operation executed by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony (RA&IH) in line with new regulations introduced by the Saudi Government in 2024/2025. According to the notification issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Prime Minister has constituted a Reform Committee on Hajj Operation under the chairmanship of Dr. Musadik Masood Malik, Minister for Climate Change & EC. The other members of committee included Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, Minister for Religious Affair & Interfaith Harmony, Aziz Boolani, CEO, Serena Hotels South & Central Asia, Shahid Khan, Ex-Federal Secretary, Abrar Ahmed Mirza, Ex-DG (Hajj), Sanaullah Khan, CEO, Tribal Travel & Tours (Pvt) Ltd, Secretary. Ministry of RA&IH, Shehryar Akbar Khan, Additional Secretary (Middle East), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Representative of SIFC (not below the level of Addl. Secretary). The committee will review the existing legal and regulatory framework of Hajj operation executed by the Ministry of RA&IH in line with new regulations introduced by the Saudi Government in 2024/2025: In addition to the above TORs (as mentioned vide this Ministry’s U.O. dated 04-04-2025), the following TORs are included for the Committee, as directed by the Prime Minister’s Office vide U.O. dated 29-04-2025: