Saudi Arabia bans Pakistani pilgrims in Ramadan

According to a media outlet, Saudi Arabia has banned the entry of passengers from more than 20 countries, including Pakistan.

Kingdom had first imposed a temporary ban on the entry of foreign Umrah pilgrims on February 27, 2020, after which a limited number of foreign Umrah pilgrims were allowed to enter the country from November 2020 by following Corona SOPs.

However, the number of Umrah pilgrims hailing from Pakistan has been very limited for the past year due to flight restrictions and coronavirus constraints.

According to official figures, the number of Umrah pilgrims leaving Pakistan in 2019 was more than 2 million, compared to 1.7 million in 2018.

According to a travel agent, people from Pakistan travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah all year round, but during Ramadan, that number rises to about 60 per cent.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia had barred people from arriving from at least 20 countries including UAE, the US, India and Pakistan. However, diplomats, Saudi citizens, medical practitioners and their families are exempted from this ban.

Saudi Health officials stated that the new restrictions are aimed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The temporary ban, effective from February 3, includes people arriving from the United Arab Emirates, Germany, the United States, Britain, South Africa, France, Egypt, Lebanon, India and Pakistan.

Saudi Arabia's health minister said that ease in coronavirus restrictions had led to a notable increase in daily cases in the kingdom.

The kingdom has recorded more than 367,800 cases and 6,370 deaths so far, the highest tally in the region. It saw daily infections fall from a peak above 4,000 in June to dip below the 100 marks in early January.