Hard hit by COVID-19, India’s private operators push gov’t to persuade Saudi to accept their umrah pilgrims
India’s private hajj and umrah tour organisers are talking to government officials to push for their inclusion in the first set of countries to be allowed to perform umrah when Saudi Arabia reopens the pilgrimage to international pilgrims in November.
The Kingdom suspended umrah at the end of February to contain the spread of the COVID-19 but on Oct 4 resumed the pilgrimage in a phased manner for its residents and citizens. It plans to allow international pilgrims from next month, on condition that they arrive from countries free of COVID-19 health risks.
All India Haj Umrah Tour Organisers Association (AIHUTOA) chairperson Shoukat Ibrahim Tamboli told Salaam Gateway they are in discussions with officials in the Ministry of Minority Affairs and are pushing them to take up the issue with the Saudi government.
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