The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has issued a list of vaccines that travellers must have taken before entering the region; however, it has discluded all Chinese vaccines, leading to trouble for many Pakistani travellers who are now unable to go to Saudi Arabia.
Pfizer, Oxford, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson’s coronavirus vaccines have been recommended by the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia’s new conditions related to the coronavirus vaccine have made life difficult for a lot of Pakistanis aspiring to travel to the kingdom as the kingdom has not included in its list of recommended vaccines, any of the ones that have been manufactured in China.
Most people in Pakistan are being vaccinated with the coronavirus vaccines manufactured by China, due to which a lot of Pakistanis are figuring out how to travel to the kingdom.
According to foreign media, passengers who do not receive the shots from the recommended vaccines will have to undergo a mandatory quarantine period in Saudi Arabia, wherein the cost would be borne by the travellers themselves.
The proposed conditions will be implemented from May 20.
It is pertinent here to mention that Saudi Arabian Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr Abdul Fattah Mashat has said the kingdom does not intend to call off this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
This he said in a meeting with Maulana Tahir Ashrafi, Special Assistant to the PM on Religious Harmony, in Makkah.
The minister said the kingdom has started making arrangements to hold this year’s Hajj pilgrimage with Covid safety protocols. All possible steps are being taken to facilitate pilgrims, he said.
He maintained that the Covid-19 vaccination is mandatory for people intending to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage this year.
Maulana Ashrafi said the people and leadership of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are close to each other. The Saudi government’s measures for pilgrims are laudable, he added.
Separately, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday said that the visit of Saudi Arabia has dashed the hopes of the opponents as some elements want to spoil the relations with Saudi Arabia.
Talking to media in Multan on Wednesday, he said that Prime Minister Imran Khan paid a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Crown Muhammad bin Salman. During the visit, important issues came under discussion. There were three rounds of talks and PM Imran Khan also had a one-on-one meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman.
Qureshi said that five agreements have been signed with Saudi Arabia during the visit. The foreign minister said PM Imran Khan and the Saudi Crown Prince signed an agreement under which Saudi-Pakistani Supreme Coordination Council will be established that will provide an institutionalized and structured platform to boost relations between the two countries.
Qureshi said that “we have decided to move forward in all fields, especially energy collaboration, economic relations, investments and job opportunities”.
He said that Saudi Arabia has decided to provide an additional $500 million funds to Pakistan for development and Riyadh will also help Pakistan in the energy sector.
He also said that the Saudi FM will visit for at least two days.
The foreign minister went on to say that the prime minister held an important meeting with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) secretary-general and the situation in Palestine was discussed, who expressed serious concern on the issue of Palestine. He said that Muslim countries will have to unite and raise their voice for Palestine.
With additional input from INP
