(Karachi) Saudi Arabia has allowed 60,000 pilgrims from all over the world, including Pakistan, to perform Hajj this year, local media reported.

This will be the first time that foreigners from outside the Kingdom will have the opportunity to perform Hajj since the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.

Special Representative to the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony Maulana Tahir Ashrafi also confirmed Saudi Arabia's decision.

He said that the Saudi government has approved the arrival of pilgrims from around the world. He stated that Saudi Arabia would inform Pakistan later about how many pilgrims would be able to go to Saudi Arabia.

He further said people under the age of 18 and over 60 will not be allowed to go for Hajj this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He pointed out that Saudi authorities have declared vaccination mandatory for pilgrims.

He said the government has requested Saudi authorities to register the Chinese COVID vaccine for Hajj pilgrimage 2021.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia issued a list of recommended vaccines, which does not include vaccines manufactured in China. Coronavirus vaccines by Pfizer, Oxford, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson have been recommended by the kingdom for use.

Pakistan has proposed to Saudi Arabia to include some of the Chinese Covid-19 vaccines approved in Pakistan in the list of jabs accepted by the Riyadh government for visitors and pilgrims.

Responding to queries from some media colleagues on mandatory vaccines for travel to Saudi Arabia for visit, Hajj and Umrah, Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said Pakistan has taken up with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the issue of vaccines which are mandatory for travel to Saudi Arabia for a visit, Umrah and Hajj.