Saudi Arabia restores pre-COVID Hajj quota for Pakistan

Jeddah: Saudi Arabia Monday 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.

The ministry said that the draft of the annual Hajj agreement had been received by the Saudi authorities from the Minister of Religious Affairs under which Pakistan's old quota of 179,210 pilgrims had been restored and the upper age limit of 65 years had been terminated.

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 cabinet.

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

According to 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 Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq al-Rabi’ah, in which they were informed about the new facilities offered to Hajj pilgrims.