Key Takeaways
- Safdar Khan spent ten years applying for Hajj 2026, facing failed ballots, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the death of his wife before finally being selected
- He missed the August 2025 application deadline and applied under a hardship quota, receiving a rejection — then an acceptance — within 24 hours
- Family and friends pooled together Rs1.2 million ($4,304) to cover his pilgrimage costs after he could not raise the funds on his own
Safdar Khan, a 66-year-old retiree from Rawalpindi, will perform Hajj 2026 this year — ten years after he first tried.
He is the last pilgrim chosen under Pakistan’s government Hajj quota for this season.
Khan first entered the computerised Hajj ballot in 2016. He tried again in 2017 and 2018 without success.
When he finally got through in 2019, Saudi Arabia cut pilgrim numbers sharply because of COVID-19 restrictions. Pakistan returned deposits to thousands of people, including Khan.
The years after brought fresh hardship. Khan retired, lost his wife, and found himself unable to afford the journey he had spent years working toward.
A Deadline Missed, Then a Surprise
Even in 2025, Khan could not gather the Rs1.2 million ($4,304) needed by the August 18 application deadline.
He later submitted under a hardship quota, which Pakistan’s Hajj scheme reserves for cases involving delayed payments or documentation issues.
“The day I applied, I received a regret message telling me I was late for this year’s Hajj,” Khan said. “But the very next day, they sent me a message and letter saying I had been accepted.”
A Seat in Islamabad
There was one more hurdle. Khan was initially told he would need to depart from Karachi — more than 1,100 kilometres from his home in Rawalpindi. He was prepared to make that trip if it meant getting to Saudi Arabia. A seat later opened in Islamabad, and he did not have to.
“I felt very happy,” he said. “This is an obligation, and it’s important that Allah has called me.”
Family Helped Cover the Cost
Khan’s brothers, friends, and relatives came together this year to raise the money he needed. Without their help, the pilgrimage would have been out of reach for a third time.
“I retired from my job and had to take care of my home as my wife passed away,” he said. “Then I was in no position to afford the holy journey.”
Looking back on all the years of waiting, Khan said he never stopped asking the people around him to pray for him. “I now feel that whatever Allah does is good for you,” he said.
Pakistan’s Hajj 2026 Quota
Pakistan is sending 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2026 — 119,210 under the government scheme and 60,000 through private tour operators. Khan, attending a pre-departure training session at Islamabad’s Hajji Camp, is among the final names on that government list.
