Pakistan ready to facilitate pilgrims as per Hajj 2021 policy — PM aide

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is ready to make “all arrangements” for Hajj pilgrims as soon as Saudi Arabia announces its guidelines for this year, prime minister’s special representative on religious harmony and the Middle East said on Monday.
“Prime Minister Imran Khan has given clear instructions to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Ministry of Health to make all necessary arrangements,” Ashrafi told Arab News.
Saudi Arabia has yet to issue a Hajj policy for this year.
“When Saudi government will announce this year’s Hajj policy, we will follow that,” Ashrafi said, explaining that facilitating pilgrims “in every possible way” was the “government’s priority.”
For the first time last year, it barred foreigners from traveling to Makkah for the pilgrimage due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, limiting the number of pilgrims to a few Saudi citizens and residents.
Earlier this month, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said talks were underway for the final set of guidelines for foreign visitors, with Riyadh considering an option to allow “a small number of pilgrims” into the Kingdom under strict health and preventive measures.
Saudi health authorities are continuing to assess conditions, and further details will be determined by COVID-19 health controls and standards, it added.
More than 184,000 Pakistanis performed Hajj in 2019, with this year’s pilgrimage expected to begin on July 17.