MUSLIM holders of World Cup tickets will be able to perform Umrah in Saudi Arabia without the need to pay for a visa, the kingdom has announced.

According to Middle East Eye online news website, those with a Hayya card — the document given to fans attending Fifa World Cup matches in Qatar — will not need to pay to do the year-round pilgrimage to Makkah.

Khaled al-Shammari, an assistant director of the visa department at the Saudi foreign ministry, recently anno­unced that Hayya card holders could stay in Saudi Ara­bia for up to two months.

“The visa is free but medical insurance must be obta­ined from the visa platform,” Shammari told Ekhbariya TV, adding that cardholders could enter and exit Saudi Arabia multiple times during the two-month period, without needing to have entered Qatar.

Besides the host nation, those attending the tournament next month will also stay in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2022

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...