Minister: (Decision about holding or cancellation of Hajj to be taken by mid of Ramadan: Qadri)

ISLAMABAD:Minister for Religious Affairs Noor-ul-Haq Qadri has said that the decision about holding or cancellation of the Hajj pilgrimage will be taken by mid of Ramadan.

In a statement, he said the Ministry is in close contact with Saudi authorities and they are contemplating various options. He said the Hajj had already been canceled or partially held as many as 40 times in the history.

He said this year’s pilgrimage would be subject to improvement in coronavirus situation. He said the Saudi Arabia’s Hajj minister has asked the Ministry of Religious Affairs to temporarily suspend preparations for hajj 2020 owing to uncertainty over the coronavirus pandemic.