ISLAMABAD: Religious scholars from all over Pakistan welcomed on Tuesday the Saudi government’s decision to allow Hajj 2020 with limited pilgrims.
“Saudi Arabia has chosen the safest option for Hajj this year,” Senator Prof. Sajid Mir, president of Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith (MJAH), told Arab News. “Owing to coronavirus pandemic, this is a very wise decision which has been taken by the Saudi government after taking into consideration all aspects related to the safety of the people.”
The Saudi ministry of Hajj announced on Monday that only a limited number of people, irrespective of nationality, who currently reside in the Kingdom would be allowed to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage this year.
Pakistan currently has a 2.5 million strong expat community living in Saudi Arabia.
Mir said that despite Hajj being a religious obligation, Islam emphasized greatly on saving human lives. “It is an excellent step to limit it to nationalities living in the Kingdom rather than completely calling it off,” he added.
Maulana Hanif Jalandhari, general secretary of the Wifaqul Madaris al Arabia Pakistan (WMAP), the country’s largest board of Deobandi madrasas, termed the decision to allow Hajj with limited gathering just what the time demanded.
“Saudi government’s decision regarding Hajj 2020 is the need of the hour. The safety of the pilgrims from coronavirus pandemic is extremely important and it is very welcoming that they (Saudi authorities) have allowed Muslims from all over the world who are living in the Kingdom to perform Hajj,” Jalandhari told Arab News.
Veteran Pakistani cleric and chairperson of the country’s moon sighting committee, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rahman, said: “We respect their decision which they reached by keeping in mind the pilgrims’ safety.”
However, he added that “they (Saudi authorities) could have allowed limited number of people from other countries with negative Covid-19 test as a prerequisite. This would bring an opportunity for international pilgrims to perform Hajj.”
Earlier in March, Saudi Arabia had indefinitely suspended Umrah pilgrimage owing to the virus spread and asked the Muslim countries including Pakistan to put Hajj plans on hold.
Pakistan’s religious scholars hail Saudi decision of limiting Hajj pilgrims
https://arab.news/5j3ag
Pakistan’s religious scholars hail Saudi decision of limiting Hajj pilgrims
- Call the decision the “safest option” amid global pandemic
- Saudi Arabia barred foreign arrivals for Hajj this year
Pakistan military says 12 militants killed after coordinated attacks in Balochistan
- ISPR says militants targeted a police station and two banks, taking away $12,000
- Balochistan CM says one civilian was injured, warns militants of tougher response
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military said on Friday security forces killed 12 militants during a clearance operation in the southwestern Balochistan district of Kharan after coordinated attacks on a police station and two banks a day earlier.
In a statement, the military’s media wing said 15 to 20 militants carried out multiple attacks in Kharan city on Thursday, targeting the City Police Station as well as branches of the National Bank of Pakistan and Habib Bank Limited, looting Rs3.4 million ($12,000).
“Security Forces effectively responded and engaged the terrorists, prompting them to retreat,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. “During the ensuing clearance operation, twelve terrorists were sent to hell in three different engagements.”
The ISPR said the militants had attempted to create a hostage situation at the police station, which was thwarted, adding that “sanitization operations” were continuing in surrounding areas.
Earlier, Chief Minister Balochistan Sarfaraz Bugti said the attackers entered the area for a brief period of five to ten minutes and fled after the attacks, adding that one civilian, identified as Abdul Hakeem, was shot in the neck and evacuated to a military hospital for treatment.
“They came for five to ten minutes, tried to break into banks and ATMs and took around Rs3.4 million from the National Bank,” Bugti told a news conference, warning that future attacks would be met with force.
The military described the militants as members of “Fitna Al Hindustan,” a term Pakistan uses for Baloch separatist groups it accuses of operating with Indian backing, an allegation New Delhi denies.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province, has long been plagued by separatist violence, with attacks frequently targeting security forces, infrastructure and civilians.
