Ashrafi Urges Intending Pilgrims To Follow SOPs Announced By Saudi Govt

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jul, 2020 ) :Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Ashrafi Tuesday urged the intending pilgrims to religiously follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) announced by Saudi Center for Disease Prevention and Control (Weqaya) to decrease the infection rate and ensure pilgrims' safety.

Talking to APP, he said pilgrims must not go for performing hajj without prior permission of Saudi government. The decision of performing Hajj by limited number of faithful in wake of coronavirus was in accordance of Islamic Shariah.

He said pilgrims should follow the protocol set by Weqaya for their own safety.

He lauded Saudi decision of not cancelling the hajj despite prevalence of pandemic saying that the Saudi government wants maximum facilities for pilgrims visiting the holy land.

"Hajj arrangements by Saudi Arabia in such circumstances are a great achievement," he added.

Pilgrims should register themselves with Saudi government and perform sacred religious ceremony by strictly following precautionary measures as performing Hajj without prior permission from Saudi Hajj authorities was not allowed; therefore all the expatriates in Saudi Arabia intending to perform Hajj in current year should cooperate with Saudi government and ensure implementation on rules and regulations of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi authorities made a positive decision by representing whims and wishes of Muslims and holding Hajj arrangements to a limited level instead of calling off Hajj owing to Covid-19, he said.

Meanwhile member Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Allama Ijlal Haideri told APP that the persons could not go to perform hajj this year due to coronavirus could perform the sacred religious ceremony on improving the situation of pandemic.

He urged pilgrims to follow SOPs and adopt guidelines and precautionary measures for performing hajj.