Islamabad: As many as 50,000 Pakistanis may be allowed to perform the annual Islamic Haj pilgrimage this year, minister for religious affairs and interfaith harmony Noor-ur-Haq Qadri said.
Pakistan will go ahead with the preparations for Haj 2021, which will take place under special circumstances with special rules and regulations, eligibility, criteria and age restrictions due to the continued pandemic threat.
However, the country is still awaiting confirmation from Saudi Arabia on the terms of departure. The Saudi government has not yet given a green signal for Haj 2021 as they were still weighing possibilities to make the pilgrimage safe and secure during the pandemic, the minister said.