Ibadat.pk | Hajj Desk | Karachi [updated: 23 March 2020] : There has been panic and a scare after the recent outbreak of Corona Virus COVID-19 in which has now spread to different parts of the world.

Will Hajj 2020 be impacted by Corona Virus?

We all hope and pray that there is cure / treatment of Corona Virus is produced soon so that life can go on as usual. However, if, God Forbid it is not, there is expectations that once the Umrah ban is lifted, things will progress as normal for Hajj 2020.

However, there are rumours in the market that the Saudi Government may reduce Hajj Quota of different countries in an effort to manage the spread of virus. If this is the case then the over all Hajj Quota from Pakistan may be reduced and hence Quota of Private Hajj Organizers will also get reduced. This means that the availability of Private Hajj Packages for 2020 in Pakistan will go down.

Kindly note: that these are just assumptions based on opinions of with in the industry and there is no confirmation from any source about any reduction in Quota. Nothing can be confirmed until things progress and Umrah Visa issuance is revived by the Saudi Government. Decision of hajj quota by Saudi Government is yet to be seen!

Read More [Questions Regarding Hajj in 2020 and Umrah 2020]: How will Hajj 2020 and the rest of Umrah Season 2019 – 2020 be impacted by Corona Virus?

Hajj Organizers bear the brunt of Corona Virus

The Saudi measure has thrown the business of many  Hajj Organizers into disarray with questions looming of Hajj 2020.  But this is not limited to agents. Hotels in Makkah and Madinah, Transport companies, Airlines,  Maktabs, Aziza (Azizyah) building owners in short, all the tourism companies involved in the making of Haj packages will suffer heavy losses in case of reduced quota.

According to a source, hundreds of Canadians who had made Hajj booking with tour operators with non-refundable deposits (thousands of dollars per person) are cancelling their plans, while Hajj operators are facing bankruptcy. Who will pocket the deposited thousands is not clear though. It is important to mention here that many Private Hajj Organizers  pay a portion of costs as a token to Hotels in Saudi Arabia and Maulimeen (people who manage Maktabs – tent spaces in Mina and Arafat) so that they reserve spaces before bookings of Hajj Packages start.

Will Hajj Organizers in Pakistan give me a refund if Hajj 2020 gets cancelled due to Corona Virus?

Generally in Pakistan (with trust worthy Hajj Group Organizers) if cancellation is due to force majeure or reduction in Hajj Quota, the organizers try and get refunds on behalf of their clients and refund the total amount to hajj organizers (important: kindly check with your Hajj Operator before making any payments). However its a different story if potential Hujjaj themselves are unwilling to travel and the actual hajj package is going ahead as scheduled. That case refund policy of individual Hajj Organizers will apply!

How can I be safe when registering interest for Hajj 2020 packages during these uncertain times?

In times like these, it is advisable to do the following:

• Check Refund Policy of Hajj Organizer before registering interest. If there is any doubt of your money getting stuck, do not pay cash!
• Just register interest with out any cash
• Or if you require certainty in your booking (and want to ensure your seat is held in case first come first serve rule becomes applicable)- a post dated cheque with standing order to the bank cancel it can be provided) [Read: Payment Tips when making payment for your Hajj Packages]
• Ensure you are only registering your interest with a government approved and trustworthy Hajj Organizer [Read: how to verify a Hajj Organizer]

Remember:

It is important to mention here that – if you have only registered your interest and not made a payment, then you should be prepared for the impact of exchange rate fluctuations on Hajj Package Price.

Cost of a Hajj Package is pegged in Saudi Riyal (SAR) as 80% of the payments need to be made to companies in Saudi Arabia. Hence if Pakistani Rupee (PKR) gets devalued, Hajj Package price in PKR will  increases.

This is why, we at IBADAT.PK,  as part of our aim to create transparency (for  both our users and Hajj Organizer we work with), have given the ability to our users to view package prices in SAR in case of fluctuations. [Read: The impact of exchange rate on Hajj Package Price]

How can I find Private Hajj Packages 2020 from Pakistan?

You can search of Hajj Packages of reliable Hajj Organizers from around Pakistan by visiting the following link: Tentative Hajj 2020 Packages from Pakistan

We only work with Government Approved Hajj Organizers – You can view the Hajj organizers we work with on the following link: http://ibadat.pk/verified-hajj-group-organizers/

Remember, we will never ask you to pay us for Hajj Packages. All Payment should be made in the name of Private Hajj Organizer that you are traveling with. Always verify if a company has been issued Hajj Quota by Checking their Registration License (RL) Number. If a company doesn’t provide their RL Number, then kindly do not Book Package or pay them unless you know their RL number.