‘No Facilities, Burnt Food, Broken ACs’: Pakistani Pilgrims Expose Haj Mismanagement | Exclusive

Last Updated:May 26, 2026, 14:12 IST

The charges have triggered widespread anger on Pakistani social media, where videos and testimonies from pilgrims accusing the government of negligence have circulated extensively

Pakistan’s Haj management has come under intense criticism after several Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia alleged severe mismanagement, poor accommodation, malfunctioning cooling systems and substandard food arrangements during the annual pilgrimage.

The controversy escalated after groups of pilgrims publicly confronted Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf over what they described as a complete failure by the government to provide the facilities promised before departure.

According to complaints from pilgrims in Makkah and Mina, many Pakistani Hajis were housed in “filthy" and “dilapidated" buildings with poor sanitation and overcrowded conditions.

Pilgrims alleged that the situation worsened dramatically amid intense Saudi summer temperatures after air-conditioning systems in Maktabs 120 and 125 reportedly stopped functioning properly.

“The air became suffocating and unbearably hot," one pilgrim reportedly complained, adding that repeated requests for repairs allegedly went unanswered for long periods.

Women, elderly citizens and sick pilgrims were said to be among the worst-affected. Some pilgrims claimed the heat inside the tents became so extreme that several people were forced to leave their accommodation and seek temporary shelter inside nearby mosques to escape the conditions.

The allegations have triggered widespread anger on Pakistani social media, where videos and testimonies from pilgrims accusing the government of negligence have circulated extensively.

The criticism intensified further after complaints emerged regarding food quality.

Pilgrims alleged that meals being served were substandard and, in some cases, burnt. Several reportedly fell ill after consuming the food.

During a visit by Minister Sardar Yousaf, angry pilgrims surrounded him and questioned him directly over accommodation standards, cooling failures and food arrangements.

According to reports from the scene, hotel staff admitted before the minister that burnt food had been served to pilgrims. The minister subsequently cancelled the contract of one company allegedly responsible for the catering failures.

However, even as complaints mounted publicly, Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs maintained that it had not officially received complaints regarding malfunctioning air-conditioning systems in Maktabs 120 and 125.

That response has itself become a fresh source of outrage among pilgrims, many of whom insist that repeated complaints had already been lodged through official channels.

The controversy comes at a politically sensitive time for the government of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which has faced growing criticism domestically over governance, inflation and administrative performance.

Haj management carries enormous political and emotional significance in Pakistan, where the pilgrimage is viewed not only as a religious obligation but also as a matter of state responsibility.

Every year, thousands of Pakistani pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia under government-managed Haj schemes, making logistical arrangements, accommodation quality and medical support major public concerns.

The latest allegations have once again raised broader questions about oversight, contractor accountability and whether authorities were adequately prepared to handle the scale and heat conditions associated with this year’s pilgrimage season.

While the Pakistani government has begun damage-control efforts, including cancelling at least one contractor agreement, criticism from affected pilgrims continues to grow as more accounts from Saudi Arabia emerge online.

News world ‘No Facilities, Burnt Food, Broken ACs’: Pakistani Pilgrims Expose Haj Mismanagement | Exclusive

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