Saudi Arabia announces decision on Hajj 2020

RIYADH: Saudi government on Monday announced its much-awaited decision on Hajj 2020, announcing to hold the annual pilgrimage in a limited manner amid COVID-19 pandemic, ARY NEWS reported.

The Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry took to Twitter to convey the official decision on Hajj 2020.

Citing a rise in COVID-19 cases globally, it was decided that people from different nationalities living in Saudi Arabia will only be allowed to perform Hajj this year.

The statement from Saudi Hajj and Umrah Ministry while sharing global COVID-19 figures said that death related to it has reached almost half a million and over 7 million cases have been confirmed globally.

#Statement issued by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah regarding Hajj of 2020 pic.twitter.com/UGCShFZw1n

— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) June 22, 2020

Citing risks stemming from the pandemic and lack of available vaccinations, the ministry said that the kingdom’s top priority was to always enable Muslim pilgrims to perform Hajj and Umrah rites safely.

Announcing its decision to only allow a limited number of pilgrims from various nationalities living in Saudi Arabia, the ministry said that it was meant to ensure that Hajj 2020 is performed in a safe manner from a public health perspective while observing all preventive measures and necessary social distancing protocols to protect human beings from the risks associated with the pandemic.

Read More: Saudi official asks Pakistan to defer Hajj arrangements amid coronavirus pandemic 

“The government of the Custodians of the Two Holy Mosques is honored to serve millions of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims annually and it confirms that this decision stems from the top priority it accords maintaining the safety of pilgrims on its land until they depart to their home countries,” read the statement which concluded with a prayer that Allah Almighty protect all countries from the pandemic.