ISLAMABAD: Women intending to perform Hajj alone need permission from their male guardians such as fathers, husbands or in the absence of both, other close male relatives, officials of Pakistan’s religion ministry and the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) said on Wednesday.
In October 2022, Saudi Arabia allowed women to perform the Islamic pilgrimages of Umrah and Hajj without “a mahram,” a male with whom Islam forbids a woman to marry due to her close relationship with them. Examples of a mahram for a woman include her father, husband, son and brother, among others.
The CII, a constitutional body responsible for advising the government on matters related to Islam, ruled in June 2023 that a woman will be allowed to perform Hajj without her male guardian subject to two conditions: that she has permission from her spouse or parents for the pilgrimage, and that she has a “group of reliable female pilgrims and there is no threat to her dignity.”
Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry spokesperson, Muhammad Umer Butt, said women wishing to perform Hajj without a male guardian were required to submit written permission from their father, husband, or other guardians along with their Hajj 2025 application.
“Last year we facilitated single women for Hajj, and they are allowed again this year with the number of applicants nearly doubling from 3,027 in 2024 to 6,028 this year,” Butt told Arab News.
He said that after the Saudi government’s decision to allow women to perform Hajj on their own, Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs sought guidance from the CII and implemented their recommendations.
“The ministry has ensured that these women will travel in women-only groups, prioritizing their safety and comfort,” Butt said.
Butt said the majority of female pilgrims who have applied for Hajj this year are accompanied by mahrams. A small number of women faced difficulties in the availability of mahrams and have opted to travel for the pilgrimage alone, he said.
CII spokesperson Rana Zahid explained the religious body’s 2023 decision, saying that women were permitted by Shariah to perform Hajj alone if they were unable to find male guardians.
“However, this permission is subject to certain conditions and the woman must obtain consent from her father, husband (if married), or guardian,” Zahid said.
He said such women must also travel with a trustworthy group of women or “reliable companions,” ensuring there is no apparent risk or threat to her safety and dignity.
Saudi Arabia has allotted Pakistan a total quota of 179,210 pilgrims for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage, to be divided equally between the government and private schemes.
Pakistani women require permission from male guardians to perform Hajj alone — religion ministry
https://arab.news/6kkn9
Pakistani women require permission from male guardians to perform Hajj alone — religion ministry
- Saudi Arabia allowed women to perform Umrah and Hajj on their own in October 2022
- Number of women applicants for solo Hajj has nearly doubled from last year, says official
Pakistan stocks tumble 2.3% as Middle East conflict rattles investors
- KSE-100 posts weekly loss of 6.3% as geopolitical tensions trigger sell-off
- Foreign investors dump $25.5 million in equities amid global energy supply fears
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s benchmark stock index fell 2.3% on Friday as investors sold shares ahead of the weekend amid growing fears that the escalating conflict involving Iran could disrupt global energy supplies and trade routes.
The KSE-100 index closed down 3,714.57 points at 157,496.10, after touching an intraday high of 161,435.83 and a low of 157,072.64, according to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) data. Trading volume stood at about 196 million shares with a value of roughly Rs18.8 billion ($67 million).
The decline capped a volatile week for Pakistani equities, with the benchmark index falling 6.3% week-on-week as geopolitical tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel unsettled investors and triggered risk-off sentiment across regional markets.
“KSE-100 Index declined by -6.3% on a week-on-week basis, and this decline can be attributed to the Middle East conflict (US-Israel vs. Iran), where investors sold their positions in the backdrop of increasing risk to global energy supply and trade routes,” brokerage house Topline Securities said in its weekly review.
Topline said foreign corporate investors were among the largest sellers during the week, offloading equities worth $25.5 million, while mutual funds sold shares worth $54.5 million amid investor redemptions.
Banks, insurance companies and local corporates partly cushioned the sell-off, buying equities worth $36 million, $15.7 million and $14.3 million respectively during the week, according to the review.
Other economic developments during the week included Pakistan’s consumer price inflation for February rising to 6.98% from 5.80% in January and the country’s trade deficit widening to $2.98 billion for the month, up 8% from the previous month and 25% year-on-year.
Average daily trading volumes during the week stood at around 658 million shares, with average daily value reaching about Rs36.2 billion ($130 million), Topline said.
