Taliban Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs Noor Mohammad Saqib has requested an increase in Afghanistan’s Hajj quota during a meeting with Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah.
According to a statement issued by the Taliban’s Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs on Monday, Saqib asked Saudi authorities to allow a larger number of Afghan pilgrims to perform Hajj in future years, citing population growth and rising demand.
The Taliban official stated that more than 100,000 Afghan citizens register annually for the pilgrimage, while the current quota accommodates only a portion of applicants.
Under the quota allocated by Saudi Arabia, approximately 30,000 Afghan pilgrims are currently permitted to travel to the Kingdom each year to perform Hajj.
During the meeting, Saqib also expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s management of the annual pilgrimage and the services provided to Muslim pilgrims from around the world.
The two sides reportedly discussed broader religious and cultural cooperation, as well as measures aimed at improving services for Afghan pilgrims.
According to the ministry, discussions also covered administrative procedures, the quality of training programs for pilgrims and efforts to strengthen the capacity of Hajj caravan guides and organizers.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs set this year’s Hajj cost at 266,400 Afghanis per pilgrim.
Officials stated that the total cost of Afghanistan’s Hajj program this year is estimated at more than 7.818 billion Afghanis, equivalent to approximately 119 million U.S. dollars.
The request for an expanded quota reflects growing demand among Afghan Muslims seeking to perform the pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam.
Saudi Arabia determines annual Hajj quotas for Muslim-majority countries based on a range of logistical and administrative considerations, including capacity and crowd management during the pilgrimage season.
