Saudi Arabia restores pre-COVID Hajj quota for Pakistan

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 10 Jan 2023

Jeddah: Saudi Arabia restored Pakistan's pre-pandemic Hajj quota and also removed the upper age limit of 65 years.

According to the details, the Minister of Religious Affairs Mufti Abdul Shakoor arrived in Jeddah to participate in the four-day International Hajj Conference at the invitation of Saudi Arabia, where he met with many important figures and visited institutions, including his Saudi counterpart, Dr. Tawfiq Bin Al-Rabi'ah.

According to the ministry, this year Hajj applications are likely to be called by the end of February, while the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs will announce the final Hajj Policy 2023 after the approval of the cabinet.

On the other hand, the delegations of 19 countries including Pakistan, India, and Iran signed the Hajj agreements.

According to the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq al-Rabi’ah, Turkey, Sudan, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, and Bahrain are among the signatories of the Hajj Agreement.

He said that the number of pilgrims, arrival, departure, and services offered are mentioned in the agreement.

Moreover, a delegation including ministers from 12 countries met the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq al-Rabi’ah, in which they were informed about the new facilities offered to Hajj pilgrims.