ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia has agreed to waive 2,000-riyal tax imposed on Pakistanis appearing Umrah yearly at the request of Prime Minister Imran Khan, a media report mentioned Wednesday. The Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs was once knowledgeable on Tuesday that Prime Minister Khan had requested Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud to abolish the tax imposed through the Saudi government on Pakistanis right through his talk over with to the Gulf country last month.
"I have been informed that this was some kind of a discriminatory tax on Pakistanis and the government should do something about it," Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri mentioned.
Secretary of Religious Affairs Muhammad Mushtaq mentioned the tax was once imposed to discourage repeated Umrah through a few other folks best and had just lately been slapped on any person coming from any country of the arena.
"However this new tax of 2,000 riyals ($ 533) on people performing more than one Umrah within two years has been abolished for the people of Egypt and Turkey after requests were made by governments of these countries to the Saudi government," Mushtaq was once quoted as saying through the Dawn newspaper.
He mentioned that the subject have been taken up with the Saudi authorities in Islamabad and it was once urged that Prime Minister Khan should make the request to the Saudi crown prince for the tax waiver.
"The prime minister during his visit to Saudi kingdom took up the matter with the Saudi crown prince and he has agreed to abolish the tax," Mushtaq mentioned, adding that it was once an issue of time prior to the Saudi government would notify the waiver.
Some senators, however, criticised the high minister's move, saying it would receive advantages just a few rich individuals who sought after to perform Umrah yearly.
The selection of Umrah visas issued this year has reached 421,411, according to information supplied through the Saudi Arabia's Hajj and Umrah Ministry.
The biggest selection of pilgrims are from Pakistan (82,169) adopted through India with 49,492 and with Indonesia 16,259, Arab News reported.
The Umrah - an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Hijaz, Saudi Arabia- is performed through Muslims and can also be undertaken at any time of the year, unlike hajj which has explicit dates according to the Islamic lunar calendar.
"I have been informed that this was some kind of a discriminatory tax on Pakistanis and the government should do something about it," Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri mentioned.
Secretary of Religious Affairs Muhammad Mushtaq mentioned the tax was once imposed to discourage repeated Umrah through a few other folks best and had just lately been slapped on any person coming from any country of the arena.
"However this new tax of 2,000 riyals ($ 533) on people performing more than one Umrah within two years has been abolished for the people of Egypt and Turkey after requests were made by governments of these countries to the Saudi government," Mushtaq was once quoted as saying through the Dawn newspaper.
He mentioned that the subject have been taken up with the Saudi authorities in Islamabad and it was once urged that Prime Minister Khan should make the request to the Saudi crown prince for the tax waiver.
"The prime minister during his visit to Saudi kingdom took up the matter with the Saudi crown prince and he has agreed to abolish the tax," Mushtaq mentioned, adding that it was once an issue of time prior to the Saudi government would notify the waiver.
Some senators, however, criticised the high minister's move, saying it would receive advantages just a few rich individuals who sought after to perform Umrah yearly.
The selection of Umrah visas issued this year has reached 421,411, according to information supplied through the Saudi Arabia's Hajj and Umrah Ministry.
The biggest selection of pilgrims are from Pakistan (82,169) adopted through India with 49,492 and with Indonesia 16,259, Arab News reported.
The Umrah - an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Hijaz, Saudi Arabia- is performed through Muslims and can also be undertaken at any time of the year, unlike hajj which has explicit dates according to the Islamic lunar calendar.
Saudi Arabia agrees to abolish Umrah tax on Pak pilgrims
![Saudi Arabia agrees to abolish Umrah tax on Pak pilgrims]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
October 18, 2018
Rating:
