Is Umrah visa fee waived off? Yes it is.
Crown Prince MBS agreed to abolish SAR2,000 additional fee after PM Imran requested him during recent visit
Following a request made by Prime Minister Imran Khan during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia, kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman had agreed to withdraw an additional fee of SAR2,000 soon for Pakistanis who wanted to perform Umrah every year.
The development was shared by the Religious Ministry with the Senate Committee which met here Tuesday to discuss the problems faced by Pakistanis while performing Hajj and Umrah.
Presiding the meeting, Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said people had been complaining about the imposition of 2,000 riyals tax on pilgrims performing more than one Umrah within two years.
The secretary of religious affairs informed the chairman that it was not a discriminatory act as the tax was imposed on anyone coming from any country. He added that the reason behind the measure was only discourage repeated Umrah by few people.
Mushtaq said that the tax, however, was abolished for the Turkey and Egypt citizens after their governments requested the Saudi authorities.
He informed that Prime Minister Imran Khan was also suggested that he should take up the matter with Saudi government during his visit, adding that the premier discussed the issue with the crown prince who agreed to end the additional fee. He said that the Saudi government would end the tax soon.
Some participants of the meeting also criticised the prime minister’s move, stating that the tax waiver would facilitate only a few people.
