Noorul Haq Qadri clarifies news of allowing 60,000 pilgrims was only a recommendation from Saudi Health Ministry
The Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Maulana Noorul Haq Qadri said on Sunday that the Saudi government was yet to take the decision regarding the number of pilgrims being permitted to take part in Hajj 2021.
Rejecting the news circulating on social media about the Saudi government’s decision of allowing only 60,000 pilgrims for Hajj this year, Maulana Noorul Haq Qadri clarified that these were just the recommendations of Saudi Health Ministry and the final decision had not been taken by the Saudi government.
In his video statement, the minister said that he had contacted the Saudi Hajj and Umrah Minister and confirmed that the news about decision of allowing 60,000 Hajj pilgrims this year was not the final decision of the Saudi government.
He stated that it was his responsibility to inform the masses about the latest development, saying that before making any decision the Saudi government would take Pakistan into confidence.
It must be noted that the Ministry of Religious Affairs in its earlier statement had said that the Squid government had decided to allow only 60,0 00 pilgrims for Hajj 2021 due to Covid19. And out of 60,000, a total of 15,000 Hajj pilgrims would be the Saudi citizens.
According to Saudi Hajj policy of 2019, at least 4,500 Pakistani pilgrims will be able to go on Hajj pilgrimage this year if Saudi Arabia allows only 60,000 pilgrims for Hajj 2021.
As in 2019, a total of 2.4 million people from around the world had performed Hajj pilgrimage and 180,000 of them were Pakistanis with 7.5 per cent ratio of overall pilgrims. And for 60,000 pilgrims with 7.5 per cent ratio, the number of pilgrims from Pakistan will be 4,500.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has requested the Saudi government for the registration of Chinese vaccines so that Pakistani Hajj pilgrims could be allowed to enter the Kingdom for Hajj and Umrah purposes. As a condition has been imposed by the Saudi government which states that only a few coronavirus vaccinations will be accepted for entry into Saudi Arabia. For the purpose, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry has decided to register their concerns with the Saudi authorities to ensure entrance of Pakistani Hajj pilgrims in the kingdom.
It is to be noted that in Pakistan, most Pakistanis have already been vaccinated by Chinese vaccines. It is not recommended by doctors to get revaccinated with a different vaccine.
Pakistan has voiced their concern by stating that on such a short notice, it would be very hard for Pakistan to arrange vaccines from other sources except China. Therefore, the Saudi government has been requested to register Chinese vaccines in the list of approved vaccines as they have also been approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
THE NATION
