The Saudi government has relaxed restrictions on overseas pilgrims for Hajj this year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the journey to be restricted to locals for the previous two years. Mufti Abdul Shakoor, the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, announced this in a recent press conference.
The minister informed that Umrah had also been resumed by the Saudi government with the decline of COVID-19 cases across the globe.
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New updates on the 2022 Hajj
In response to a question about Hajj expenses, the minister stated that the announcement of the Hajj came late and that the details of the expenses had not yet been received. According to Mufti Abdul Shakoor, Hajj expenses would be greater due to the cost of social separation. He projected the cost to be in the range of Rs. 700,000 to Rs. 1,000,000.
Hajj may cost Rs7 lac to Rs1 million this year due to an increase in the cost of services & taxes by the Saudi government, Mufti Abdul Shakoor, Minister of Religious Affairs.
Pakistan has allotted a quota of 81,132 pilgrims this year
Cost of Hajj in 2021 was around Rs. 490,000.
— Economy of Pakistan (@Pakistanomy) April 30, 2022
He also said due to an increase in the cost of services and taxes by the Saudi government, an increment is expected in the Hajj expenses. Shakoor said the Saudi Hajj ministry used to provide guidelines and expenditures in advance but due to COVID-19, the details of Hajj expenses were being awaited.
In this context, the ministry’s directorate general in Jeddah was in constant contact with his Saudi counterparts to settle down the issues of mutual interest as soon as possible, he added.
The minister revealed that the Saudi Hajj ministry had given the deadline of May 16, to complete all the codal formalities for smooth sailing of Hajj 2022.
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Pakistan has been allocated an 81,000-person quota, with 60 percent going to the government and 40 percent to the private sector, respectively.
It is important to highlight that the applicant must be under the age of 65.
What was Hajj’s price in 2021?
Reportedly, there were contacts at a lower level between Saudi and Pakistani officials for Hajj this year, and it is likely that the expenses may just cross Rs. 700,000.
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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also issued COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the Hajj 2021 pilgrims. Additionally, the Saudi Ministry of Health has announced that pilgrims must be vaccinated in order to participate in this year’s Hajj.