ISLAMABAD, (MILLAT ONLINE/APP): Saudi Arabia’s Haj and Umrah
Ministry has extended Umrah season by one month in order to give
more opportunities to Muslims to perform the ritual.
According to Gulf news , under the extension, Umrah season
would end on Shawwal 15 (July 10) instead of Ramadan 15 (June 10),
the ministry said.
Muslim pilgrims often perform Umrah during Ramadan, the
ninth month of the Muslim calendar, because the month is
associated with pious and charitable activities, he added.
Umrah and Haj seasons are regulated by authorities to ensure
that the holy sites and hotels in Makkah and Madinah are able to
accommodate the millions of visitors.
According to official figures, the Saudi authorities last
year issued 6.4 million visas to Muslims to perform
Umrah.
The figure was seven per cent higher than in 2015 when
slightly less than six million visas were issued.
Egyptians topped the list in 2016 with 1,303,067 visas, a 17
per cent increase compared to 2015 figures.
Pakistanis came second with 991,337 visas, up by 287,024 in
the previous year, and Indonesians were third with 699,612 visas,
a 7.2 per cent increase compared to 2015.
The overall figures do not include nationals from the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, who do not require visas to
enter Saudi Arabia.
The GCC, established in 1981, is made up of Bahrain, Kuwait,
Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.