ajj, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah, is one of the largest gatherings of its kind in the world. This year, the rituals will begin on the evening of Thursday, July 7, and will end on Tuesday, July 12. About two million pilgrims perform the Hajj every year. However, this year the Saudi government is allowing only one million pilgrims from all over the world. Each country will be allocated a quota of pilgrims permitted to enter the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has recently announced a new Hajj policy for the United Kingdom (UK), Europe, the USA and Australia. Under the new policy, pilgrims can no longer apply for Hajj through travel agencies. They must apply for a place and book flights and accommodations directly through the Saudi government contractor’s web portal: https://www.motawif.com.sa.

The pilgrims from all Western countries must apply through this newly-launched lottery system. The new policy is causing inconvenience for the pilgrims. The minimum expenditure for UK pilgrims will increase from around £5,000 to £10,000 per person. Also, only a few thousand British Muslims will be permitted to perform Hajj this year. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has raised the issue with the Saudi government. It says that not all problems have been resolved and continue to seek information from the Saudi authorities.

MP Yasmin Qureshi, the chairperson of All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hajj and Umrah, has warned the Saudi government that the new system will not work. She has asked Hajj Minister Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah to ensure the refund of money to applicants if the system does not work. She has also urged upon the Saudi authorities to delay the new lottery system until next year.

Saudi authorities, in response, have said that the change is part of their efforts against fraudulent travel agents.

The pilgrims who have already booked their Hajj travel with the travel agencies have been asked by Saudi authorities to seek a refund. “The situation has become embarrassing for the travel agencies. The sudden change in the policy has caused anger against the firms,” says Kashif Nawaz, the CEO of Memon Travel & Tours London. “Only 20 percent of the applicants got Hajj permission this year, meaning that approximately 5,000 pilgrims could perform Hajj this year,” he adds.

The travel agencies cannot refund the amount immediately airline refunds take at least two weeks to process. The pilgrims are upset by the new policy of Saudi authorities and the applicants are still awaiting their response. “The UK Hajj travel industry is at risk of collapse after Saudi Arabia announced an overhaul of the pilgrimage entry system this week,” says Nawaz.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has recently announced a new Hajj policy for the United Kingdom (UK), Europe, the USA and Australia. Under the new policy, pilgrims can no longer apply for Hajj through travel agencies. They must apply for a place and book flights and accommodations directly through the Saudi government contractor’s web portal: https://www.motawif.com.sa.

To ensure their participation in the Hajj, some pilgrims have also paid fees through the Saudi website. However, they are still waiting for any response from the Saudi authorities.

The Saudi contractor Motawif recently stated: “Applications to enter the draw have now ended. The draw results will be communicated between June 15 and 18. We will reach out to all applicants selected by our electronic draw system. In the meantime, keep an eye on our social channels for any updates.”

Talking to TNS, Muhammad Waris, the muezzin of Faizan Mosque, says that the time for participating in the Hajj is drawing to an end. “Many of us are still waiting for a response. Only a few days are left in the performance of the holy Hajj, but there is a lot of confusion. We need a ministry of miracles instead of the ministry of Hajj,” he says.

Some of the travellers are sharing their frustration on social media too, saying it is the first Hajj after the pandemic, and that they were glad to proceed to the holy city of Makkah. However, now they are losing a lot, including their money. Some of them have reported glitches with a new online portal.

The Council of British Hajis has expressed concern over the delays.

According to the CBH, the Hajj industry contributes about £200 million, and usually, 25,000 pilgrims travel for Hajj from the UK every year. The Hajj businesses probably still have tens of millions of pounds stuck in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, while updating its official travel advisory guide, the UK government has said, “The system for British nationals wishing to apply for Hajj from outside Saudi Arabia has changed. British citizens now need to apply directly to the Saudi authorities.”

“The Saudi authorities’ Motawif website for Hajj 2022 applications was open for applications from June 10 to June 13. Motawif’s update confirmed that they were aware of a number of cases of problems related to completing payment and booking confirmations. We know that not all issues have been resolved and continue seeking information from the Saudi authorities.”

Because of the pandemic, Saudi authorities have also announced that “pilgrims must be under 65 years of age and have received Covid-19 vaccination approved by Saudi Ministry of Health. Pilgrims from outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia must submit a negative Covid-19 test result taken within 72 hours of the time of departure to Saudi Arabia.

The writer is a correspondent for Geo News, daily Jang and The News in London