Islamabad, April 29 (IANS) Issuing a strong warning to Islamabad, Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry has stated that strict penalties will be imposed on Pakistani citizens found violating Haj permit regulations this year.
The warning came at a time when Pakistan formally commenced its Haj flight operations on Tuesday with the first batch of 442 pilgrims departing from Islamabad to Madina under the Makkah Route Initiative.
The Saudi ministry’s latest warning further stated that penalties will be applicable from today (Tuesday) till June 10, 2025. The ministry warned that any Pakistani performing or attempting to perform Haj without a valid permit, will face a fine of up to SR20,000. The penalty includes all types of visa holders, including those entering and staying in Mecca.
Moreover, a fine of up to SR100,000 will be imposed on anyone who applies for a visit visa on behalf of individuals attempting to perform Haj without a permit, or anyone who facilitates their entry or stay in the restricted areas, adding that the fines may multiply based on the number of individuals involved.
It also made it clear to Pakistan that a penalty of SR100,000 will be imposed on those individuals who transport, shelter, or assist visit visa holders in accessing the holy sites, which includes concealment of their presence or providing accommodation in any form in hotels, shelters, private homes, or Haj-designated housing, warning that any and all illegal infiltrators, including residents and overstayers, who are caught attempting to perform Haj without a permit will be instantly arrested, deported and banned from entering in Saudi Arabia for at least 10 years.
Saudi Arabia’s strict warning to Pakistan is a result of an alarming number of beggars, illegal visitors, and citizens travelling for Haj without permits, every year.
The Kingdom has deported at least 4,700 Pakistani beggars in the past three years, urging Islamabad to put the names and passports of these deported individuals on its no-flier list.
“Their ever-increasing population is tarnishing the country’s image abroad,” said Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.
This year, around 89,000 Pakistanis will be travelling to Saudi Arabia to perform Haj under the government scheme, while another 23,620 are expected to travel through private tour operators. Around 50,500 Pakistani pilgrims will benefit from Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route Initiative, with at least 22,500 pilgrims departing from Karachi and another 28,000 from capital Islamabad.
–IANS
int/hamza/as
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