Hajj 2024: A crucial update for Pakistani pilgrims

Ninety thousand Pakistani pilgrims will undertake the Hajj through private businesses, while 70,000 official pilgrims will be hosted by the Pakistan Hajj Mission.

He told the media that “55,284 pilgrims reached Makkah through 214 flights under the official Hajj scheme.”

He said that more than 30,000 pilgrims are participating in the private Hajj program in Saudi Arabia. “Hajj flight operations will persist until June 9,” the representative declared.
Tuesday’s virtual Council of Ministers meeting was presided over by King Salman, the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

At the beginning of the meeting, the King was told that all the plans and preparations for the Hajj season this year are finished. The efforts, resources, and initiatives undertaken by several government departments to improve pilgrims’ comfort and well-being were briefed to him.

In serving the Two Holy Mosques and their guests, King Salman conveyed the pride that Saudi Arabia, its authorities, and its people take in their work. He beseeched God Almighty to hear the pilgrims’ prayers and accept their good acts, and to grant them the ability to complete the Hajj rituals.

The Cabinet was briefed on the contents of the messages that King Abdullah of Jordan and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt sent to the Monarch, as well as the message that the president of Somalia sent to Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.

After the meeting, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dosary made a statement to the Saudi Press Agency stating that the Cabinet was pleased with the outcome of the second Saudi-Kuwaiti Coordination Council meeting. This meeting emphasized the two countries’ strong ties to one another and their shared commitment to strengthening regional and international coordination while also deepening their cooperation in all areas.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Arab League meetings in which the Kingdom has recently participated were examined by the Council. Within the context of current fraternal connections and deep historical links, it expressed hope for future advancement in cooperative initiatives and wider collaboration.

The 37th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting produced positive results, which the Cabinet praised. The statement stated that the choice made by Saudi Arabia and seven other members to prolong the voluntary production cutbacks that were reached upon in Riyadh is consistent with the continued endeavors of OPEC+ nations to preserve equilibrium and stability in the worldwide oil market.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is recognized for its leadership in environmental activities and the promotion of sustainable development on a local, regional, and global scale, as seen by its observance of World Environment Day, which falls on June 5.

The latest developments in the regional and international spheres were examined by the Council together with the ongoing efforts to address them. It underscored the Kingdom’s commitment to promoting a more developed and affluent world for all people, and it restated the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting international initiatives targeted at ensuring regional security and stability.

Regarding the internal front, the Cabinet examined the Kingdom’s latest economic results, emphasizing the steady expansion of non-oil sectors. The annual inflation rate, which is still below the global target, has stabilized at 1.6%, according to the report. Acknowledgments of positive credit rating forecasts were also made.

Minister Al-Dosary stated that the following decisions were made by the Cabinet:

The Ministry of Culture’s publishing and translation commission, museums, heritage commission, film commission, libraries commission, architecture and design arts commission, music commission, theater and performing arts commission, visual arts commission, culinary arts commission, and fashion commission regulations were approved by the Cabinet.

The Council decided that live animal consignments from May 19, 2024, until the end of the current Hajj season will be subject to state taxes and customs duties. The Monitoring Law of Finance Companies was also amended with its support.

The draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for energy cooperation between Venezuela and the United States was approved by the Cabinet for discussion and signature by the minister of energy or his deputy. Two agreements were approved by the Council: one was between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Kosovo, regarding the mutual exemption of holders of diplomatic, official, and special passports from the requirements for a short-term residence visa. The other concerned political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Côte d’Ivoire. The Ministry of Culture or its deputy may negotiate and sign a draft Memorandum of Understanding for collaboration in the cultural sphere with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Arts of Benin, as approved by the Cabinet.

Approval of an agreement to safeguard the environment between the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Environment of Tunisia, as well as an agreement to exchange information on radiation protection and nuclear safety between the Saudi Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission and the Nuclear Safety Council of Spain, are among the other decisions made by the Cabinet.

The Saudi Arabian and Dominican Republican governments reached an agreement on air transport services, which was ratified by the Council.

The Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, as well as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Export Development Authority or his deputy, were given permission by the Cabinet to negotiate and sign a draft Memorandum of Understanding with Kuwait in order to increase exports.

It authorized an agreement on copyrights and related rights between the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Korea and the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, as well as an agreement on training and administrative development between the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Saudi Institute of Public Administration.

Prior to now, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah made it clear that foreign pilgrims’ Umrah visas are valid for 90 days, beginning on the day they enter Saudi Arabia.

According to Saudi Arabia’s ministry statement, in order to facilitate the seamless movement of pilgrims from all over the world to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah for the yearly pilgrimage of Hajj, the pilgrims are required to depart the Kingdom by the deadline of Dhul Qadah 29, 1445.

In response to inquiries from multiple users via the ministry’s “Beneficiary Care” account on the social networking platform X, the ministry provided clarification.

The previous information stated that the Umrah visa’s validity is three months from the date of issuance rather than the date of admission into the Kingdom, and that the latest day for holders of such visas to enter Saudi Arabia this year was Dhul Qadah 15, 1445.