Islamabad: Saudi Embassy in Pakistan Sunday rebuked the media reports claiming the Kingdom has decided to allow 60,000 pilgrims from within and outside Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2021.
"No decision has been taken yet regarding the Haj. All that is said in this regard are proposals that are still under study”, a spokesman in the Saudi Embassy said.
The latest development came after some Pakistani media outlets reported that Saudi Arabia has decided to allow some 60,000 pilgrims from the Kingdom and abroad to perform the annual ritual in 2021.
Citing Maulana Tahir Ashrafi, Special Representative to the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Religious Harmony, Pakistani Media outlets reported that Saudi Arabia has decided to allow 60,000 pilgrims from the Kingdom and abroad for Hajj 2021.
Quoting Ashrafi, the reports also claimed that talks are on with Saudi Hajj and Umrah Ministry on the number of pilgrims from Pakistan who will be allowed to perform Haj this year.
Ummid.com was the first to raise doubts over the claims made by the Pakistani media, even as some Indian media outlets carried the Pakistani reports as it is and without confirmation.
More strange was the reporting by a Hyderabad based news portal that portrayed the claims made by Tahir Ashrafi as that of Saudi Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri also clarified that the Saudi Arabia government had not yet taken a decision regarding the number of pilgrims being allowed to perform Haj this year or the Covid SOP.
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