COLOMBO : In line with a decision taken by Saudi Arabia, the Sri Lankan government announced here on Sunday that it will not send Hajj pilgrims to Makkah this year.
Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday that it will limit registration for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage to citizens and residents of the Kingdom in the light of the coronavirus pandemic.
The ministries of health and Hajj announced Saturday that a total of 60,000 pilgrims will be allowed to perform the pilgrimage this year.
Speaking to Colombo Times, Sri Lanka’s Haj Committee Chairman Akham Uwise said that the decision was taken by the Lankan government as per an announcement made by the Saudi government that it will not entertain foreign pilgrims this year on account of the Covid panedemic.
He said the Haj Committee in consultation with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the minister of Relgious Affairs, decided to drop the programme of sending pilgrims for 2021 Hajj pilgrimage.
Uwise recalled that even last year, Sri Lanka could not send Hajj pilgrims due to the pandemic. In 2019, Sri Lanka sent some 2,800 pilgrims for Hajj.
The chairman said that on June 1, he met the Saudi Ambassador Abdul Nasser Al-Harthy to discuss the Haj issues. He said his team comprised Chief of Staff at the Prime Minister’s Office, Yoshitha Rajapaksa and Haj Committee member and legislator Marjan Faleel.
