Noor Mohammad Saqib, the acting minister of hajj and religious affairs, stated in a meeting on Thursday that Afghanistan's Hajj quota for this year has been set at 30,000 people, and efforts are underway to increase this number in the coming years.

Emphasizing transparency in the allocation process of the Hajj quota to applicants, the acting minister said that the cost of Hajj for each applicant this year is set at 282,090 afghani (around $3,800 dollars).

Speaking at the media center, Saqib added: "30,000 Hajj places have been secured from Saudi Arabia for Afghan pilgrims, and serious efforts are ongoing to increase the quota."

He further stated that the contract for transporting Hajj pilgrims this year has been signed, and Hajj applicants can deposit their banking fees starting from the 9th of Ramadan in Kabul and the provinces.

The acting minister of hajj and religious affairs also said: "The total expenses of this year’s Hajj process have been determined at 8 billion, 278 million, 777 thousand, and 320 afghanis (8,278,777,320)."

Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi, the general director of Hajj, Umrah, and Pilgrimages, said in this meeting: "Based on our overall assessment, Alhamdulillah, our process is successful, and good services will be provided to the pilgrims."

The acting minister stated that over 100,000 people have registered for this year’s Hajj in the country.

According to officials at the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs, part of this year's Hajj quota has been allocated to refugees in neighboring countries, government employees, and families of martyrs and disabled individuals. Efforts are also underway to provide better services for Hajj pilgrims.