Pakistani women planning to perform Hajj in 2025 will need consent from their husbands or parents, despite the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) allowing women to travel for the pilgrimage without a male guardian (mahram), according to the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
The Hajj Policy 2025 document outlines that women can perform Hajj without a mahram under certain conditions. These include submitting an affidavit confirming parental or spousal permission, traveling in a group of trustworthy women, and ensuring no risks to their dignity.
This conditional approval was granted by the CII in November 2023.
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Responding to a query from the ministry, the CII stated that under Jafria, Maliki, and Shafi’i schools of thought, a woman may perform Hajj without a mahram if accompanied by reliable female companions.
Notably, Saudi Arabia allowed women worldwide to perform Hajj and Umrah without a mahram in 2021.
The Hajj Policy 2025 also includes restrictions for children under 12, who will not be permitted to participate as per Saudi directives. Disabled applicants must be accompanied by an attendant, and individuals barred by courts or on the exit control list (ECL) cannot proceed.
Pakistan has been allocated a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for 2025, equally divided between government and private schemes. A hardship quota of 1,000 seats will address special cases, including mahram arrangements for women and attendants for disabled individuals.
