Saudi Arabia Snubs Pakistan Again: 67,000 Pakistanis Barred from Haj
Islamabad (The Uttam Hindu): Pakistan, which is trembling in fear of India's possible response after the Pahalgam attack, has now received a bad news from Saudi Arabia. Before the start of Haj pilgrimage 2025, the Saudi government has taken such a step that more than 67 thousand Pakistani private Haj pilgrims will not be able to go for Haj this year. This is being seen as another big setback for Pakistan, especially when Pakistan is going to depart its first flight for Haj on 29 April.
According to reports, a total of 90,830 Pakistani pilgrims were to go on Hajj this year under the private Hajj programme, but now only 23,620 Pakistanis will be able to go on Hajj privately due to the Saudi government limiting the number. According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, this means that three out of every four Pakistani pilgrims who applied under the private category this year will be deprived of the holy opportunity of Hajj.
The decision comes at a time when Pakistan is preparing to depart the first Hajj flight from Islamabad to Saudi Arabia on April 29, which will mark the start of Pakistan's Hajj operations 2025. Saudi Arabia's move has cast a cloud of uncertainty over the future of 67,210 Pakistani private Hajj pilgrims.
Sources say that an inquiry committee was formed on the instructions of the Prime Minister regarding this issue, but no concrete progress has been made so far. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also clarified that they have not been able to get any special concession from Saudi Arabia for Haj 2025 pilgrims. Now the question is what will happen to these 67,210 private pilgrims who were deprived of Haj pilgrimage, the answer to which the Pakistani government does not have at the moment.
Officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs welcomed the 'Road to Mecca' delegation at the Islamabad airport, while thousands of Pakistani pilgrims looked dejected at missing out on Hajj. This incident is being considered another diplomatic and economic setback for Pakistan.
