Selection of Scheduled Banks for Collection of Hajj Dues Hajj 2027

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Islamabad invites Expressions of Interest from scheduled banks for the provision of Hajj dues collection banking services for Hajj 2027 (1448H). This procurement is critical for ensuring smooth and secure collection of Hajj dues from pilgrims across Pakistan. The department requires banks with strong Islamic banking capabilities and extensive branch networks to handle nationwide transactions efficiently. Items being procured: - Operation of a commercial account for Hajj dues collection - 1-Link payment handling for over-the-counter and ATM/CDM transactions - Card payment gateway supporting Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, and other SBP-approved schemes - Digital challan and payment slip management system - Secure APIs for payment initiation, status inquiry, transaction confirmation, refund processing, and reconciliation - Minimum 99.9% service availability with defined SLAs - Technical support during implementation and production phases The technical scope includes establishing a Shariah-compliant account, integration with the Ministry's Hajj portal, and maintaining secure VPN or API connectivity at the bank's cost. The bank must demonstrate compliance with PCI-DSS and SBP payment security policies and provide comprehensive API documentation and sandbox environments for testing. Eligibility criteria are stringent: the bank must have a dedicated Islamic banking window or subsidiary, a minimum of 400 online branches nationwide, and a long-term credit rating of AA or higher from PACRA or VIS. Past performance in Hajj banking operations will also be evaluated. The Ministry reserves the right to verify all submitted documents and reject any proposal without assigning reasons. The deadline for submission of sealed EOIs is 20th July 2026 at 12:30 hours, with opening at 14:00 hours in the Committee Room of the Ministry. Proposals must be addressed to AO(PWF) M. Hafeez Khokhar at the Ministry's Islamabad office. Interested banks should ensure their submissions include detailed branch network lists and credit rating certificates. A practical tip for bidders: ensure your technical proposal clearly demonstrates your bank's capability to maintain 99.9% uptime and secure API connectivity, as these are critical evaluation factors. Early preparation of the required documentation and coordination with your IT teams for sandbox testing will enhance your chances of success.