Umrah resumes from 1st Muharram but Pakistanis not allowed directly

RIYADH: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has Sunday announced the resumption of the Umrah pilgrimage starting the first of the Islamic month Muharram, however, people from nine countries including Pakistan are barred from entering the country without observing quarantine in a sanctioned country, ARY News reported.

The nine countries to face the embargo from directly landing their pilgrims on the Saudi land include Indian, Indonesia, Egypt, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and Lebanon.

People from these countries will have to first quarantine themselves in another country before they could be allowed an entry into the land for pilgrimage, the letter said.

Separately, the Kingdom has said there is a mandatory requirement for the pilgrims to be vaccinated. The list of required vaccines, administered to the pilgrims, includes Pfizer, Modernam Astrazeneca or J&J.

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The announcement added that if someone has been jabbed with the complete course of Chinese vaccines, they would need to get a booster shot the approved list of vaccines.

Only people 18 years of age and above are allowed to apply for the Umrah and only via agencies accredited by the hajj and umrah ministry of KSA, the letter said.