With 319,494 pilgrims Pakistan tops countries in performing Umrah

ISLAMABAD, Nov 25 (APP):Pakistan topped the list of countries whose citizens went to Saudi Arabia for the Umrah pilgrimage since the season started on August 31, 2019, according to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

The Ministry said that 1,339,376 Umrah visas have been issued, the number of pilgrims coming to Saudi Arabia has reached 1,133,365 with 297,491 pilgrims currently in the Kingdom and 835,874 pilgrims having left.

“Pakistan topped the list with the most Umrah visas with 319,494 visas, followed by Indonesia with 306.46 thousand visas, and from Arab countries, Algeria was the most prominent with 28.79 thousand visas, others in the list of top Umrah performers are Malaysia, Turkey, Bangladesh, Algeria, Morocco, Iraq, and Jordan, in that order,” according to the statement.

By country, 319,494 pilgrims arrived from Pakistan, 306,461 from Indonesia, 195,345 from India, 50,841 from Malaysia, 50,775 from Turkey, 36,021 from Bangladesh, 28,785 from Algeria, 18,146 from Morocco, 16,851 from Iraq and 16,223 from Jordan, Arab News reported.

In its statistical report, the ministry noted that 1,088,608 pilgrims had arrived in the Kingdom by air, 44,750 by land and 7 by sea.

With the beginning of Umrah season, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah launched “inaya” (care) centers to provide comprehensive services for beneficiaries. The ministry also developed the central booking system MAQAM, that allows Umrah companies, hotel and transportation companies and pilgrims and visitors of the Prophet’s Mosque to contact each other directly, thus achieving the highest standards of control, efficiency and transparency.

MAQAM, in tandem with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Information Center, also issues e-visas without the need for paperwork, as part of efforts exerted to achieve one of the most important goals of Vision 2030, improving the quality of services provided for pilgrims.