Srinagar: The Saudi government’s recently imposed temporary ban on the issuance of Umrah, tourist and visit visas to people from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh ahead of the Hajj-2025 has sparked concerns among the aspiring pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir.
However, the officials here clarified that this move was a routine pre-Hajj measure and will not affect the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage from India, including Jammu & Kashmir.
Executive Officer of the J&K State Hajj Committee, Dr Shujaat Ahmad Qureshi, clarified that the ban applies specifically to Umrah, tourist and visiting visas and has been enforced in coordination with multiple countries.
The officer said that this decision will prevent the misuse of Umrah or visit visas by individuals, attempting to perform Hajj “illegally” by prolonging their stay in the kingdom till the annual pilgrimage —a problem that has affected accommodations and logistics there in previous years.
“Last year, those who went on Umrah or other visas often stayed back and performed Hajj without authorisation, which led to overcrowding, particularly in Mina tents,” the senior officer said. “This year, such practices will be curbed due to the ban and legitimate pilgrims will benefit with better access to facilities.”
He added that this was done every year, typically a few days before Hajj, however, this time the visa suspension was imposed nearly 20 days in advance, stating that might have caused some confusion.
The Executive Officer of the J&K State Hajj Committee also said the move is expected to streamline the Hajj process and reduce issues faced by officially registered pilgrims, especially those caused due to the overlapping stays by non-Hajj visa holders.
“It helps avoid unnecessary crowding and mismanagement, especially in tents and accommodation areas,” the official noted.
As for the current status of Hajj preparations from Jammu & Kashmir, over 3,600 pilgrims are scheduled to perform Hajj this year under the government quota. Their orientation and training programmes are currently underway, and vaccination drives will be completed in the coming days. (With inputs from KNO)
