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Arab News
09-08-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Designated Pakistani banks open today to receive Hajj applications
ISLAMABAD: Designated banks across Pakistan are open today for the receipt of Hajj applications from registered pilgrims, Pakistani state media reported. Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims. Of this, 129,210 seats have been allocated for the government scheme and the rest for private tour operators, according to the Pakistani religious affairs ministry. Under the government scheme, pilgrims can choose between a long Hajj package (38–42 days) and a short package (20–25 days). The estimated cost of the government Hajj package ranges between Rs1,150,000 and Rs1,250,000 (approximately $4,050 to $4,236). 'Hajj applicants can submit their applications online or through banks as per their convenience,' the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported, citing a ministry spokesman. 'The State Bank has issued instructions to 14 banks in this regard.' Pakistan has received over 58,000 applications from intending pilgrims for Hajj 2026, the religious affairs ministry said on Friday. Individuals, registered on a first-come, first-served basis, can deposit the first installment of their Hajj dues by Saturday, Aug. 9, according to the ministry. The second installment of Hajj dues will be collected starting in November this year, it said. Saudi Arabia had approved a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Pakistan this year as well, but a large portion of the private Hajj quota for 2025 remained unutilized due to delays by tour operators in meeting payment and registration deadlines, while the government fulfilled its full allocation of over 88,000 pilgrims. Private operators attributed the shortfall to technical issues, including payment processing problems and communication breakdowns.
Asia News Network
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Asia News Network
Act more, regret less: The Jakarta Post
August 4, 2025 JAKARTA – After months of troubling silence in the face of rising violence against religious minorities, Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar has finally spoken out–expressing regret over the recent attack on a Christian prayer house in Padang, the capital of West Sumatra. The incident, which occurred on the afternoon of July 27, saw a mob vandalize a facility being used for religious education, and the damage extended far beyond the building. Children attending a class at the time were left with not only physical injuries but also deep psychological trauma. The images and testimonies from the scene speak volumes of the fear and insecurity now haunting religious minority communities in a province often cited as one of the least tolerant regions in this predominantly Muslim but diverse country. In response to the attack, Nasaruddin has pledged to send a team to the city to investigate what he describes as a possible 'misunderstanding', emphasizing that the incident has 'tarnished the country's image' as a peaceful, tolerant nation. Nasarudin, also the founder of an interfaith organization, Masyarakat Dialog antar Umat Beragama (Interfaith Dialogue Society), hopes that the attack will be the last of its kind. But hope and regret are no longer sufficient. The Padang incident occurred barely a month after a similar attack in Sukabumi, West Java—another region frequently flagged by human rights groups as hostile to minority religious practices. In that case, a Christian youth retreat held in a private residence was violently disrupted by a local mob, resulting in similar destruction and intimidation. Perpetrators of such acts often justify their behavior by claiming they are enforcing 'public order' regarding unauthorized religious gatherings. But such claims reflect a much deeper structural problem: in many parts of Indonesia, it is nearly impossible for religious minorities to legally establish formal houses of worship. They are left with little choice but to gather in private homes or makeshift venues—settings that are then targeted under the pretext of legal or procedural violations. This problem is rooted in the notorious 2006 Joint Ministerial Decree issued by the Religious Affairs Ministry and Home Affairs Ministry, which sets out onerous requirements for building a house of worship. Religious groups must collect signatures from at least 60 people of different faiths and gain formal permission from both local authorities and religious affairs offices. In areas where religious intolerance is entrenched, this process is not just difficult; it is practically impossible. The regulation has long been criticized as discriminatory and out of step with Indonesia's constitutional guarantees of religious freedom. Instead of facilitating coexistence, it empowers the majority to veto the rights of the minority. It fosters resentment, fuels social division and, as these recent incidents show, creates the conditions for violence. These attacks are not the result of simple 'misunderstandings.' They are manifestations of a broken, biased system that fails to protect the rights of all citizens equally. If the government is serious about preventing further attacks, it must move beyond statements of regret. It must act with urgency to dismantle discriminatory regulations, prosecute those who incite or commit violence and ensure that every citizen—regardless of religion—can worship safely and freely. Nasaruddin's predecessor, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, once promised to revise or revoke the 2006 decree, but his pledge went unfulfilled. Nasaruddin now has a critical opportunity to replace the policy with one that affirms, rather than restricts, religious freedom. Law enforcement, too, must do its part. Those responsible for the violence in Padang, Sukabumi and elsewhere must face justice for breaching a basic human right. As national leader, President Prabowo Subianto must also make his position clear. The right to freedom of religion and belief is protected by the Constitution. Defending that right should not be negotiable. Silence or ambiguity from the highest office only reinforces the perception—among both victims and perpetrators—that the state is absent, indifferent or even complicit. Words alone will not prevent the next attack. Only decisive, meaningful action will.
Asia News Network
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Asia News Network
Pilgrim flights delayed by Iran-Israel attacks arrive in Indonesia
June 30, 2025 JAKARTA – Two groups of Indonesian haj pilgrims have arrived home safely after being stranded for a day when their flights from Saudi Arabia were delayed following an escalation of armed conflict between Israel and Iran in the region. The flights supposed to carry two groups of pilgrims from the Surabaya embarkation point in East Java were initially canceled following the temporary closure of the Muscat International Airport in Oman after an Iranian missile attack against the Al Udeid air force base in Doha, Qatar on the night of June 23. The attack, serving as a retaliation against the United States' bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities, prompted the closure of airspace in the region for a few hours, with several airlines canceling their flights and airports being closed, including in Muscat. The pilgrims were initially scheduled to fly home from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on June 24, but had to spend more time in the city. Indonesian officials sent the stranded pilgrims to seven transit hotels in Jeddah. The first group, SUB 43 consisting 380 pilgrims, finally left Jeddah on the evening of June 25, following a ceasefire deal between Iran and Israel that was first announced by US President Donald Trump. Meanwhile the flight for the second group, called SUB 44, which also has 30 pilgrims, took off on the morning of June 26. 'The [two groups] whose flights were delayed have arrived home. The pilgrims have been reuniting with their families,' the Religious Affairs Ministry's domestic haj service director Muhammad Zain said in a statement on Friday. Separately, Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar said the recent escalated tension in the Middle East had only affected the two flights carrying pilgrims to Surabaya. He asserted that flights carrying Indonesian pilgrims back home are operating without any issues now. 'Hopefully the ceasefire lasts until our last pilgrims return home, because they would pass over the Qatari airspace, which is safe to be passed through now,' the minister said in Jakarta on Saturday, as quoted by The intensified conflict became the backdrop of this year's haj, which saw over 1.4 million pilgrims around the world visiting Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage, a mandatory once-in-a-lifetime trip for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it. More than 200,000 of the 1.4 million pilgrims came from Indonesia, which has been given the largest haj quote by the Saudi government. Indonesian pilgrims were split into 525 flight groups departing from 14 embarkation points across the country, including Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan in North Sumatra and Makassar in South Sulawesi. According to the Religious Affairs Ministry, the return for Indonesian pilgrims is split into two waves: The first wave left Saudi Arabia from Jeddah between June 11 and 25, followed by the second wave from Madinah between June 26 and July 11. The departure of SUB 44 from Jeddah marked the end for the Jeddah wave. As of Friday, more than 108,000 pilgrims under 280 flight groups had returned to Indonesia. The ministry also recorded 92 Indonesian pilgrims still hospitalized in Saudi hospitals and 26 others treated in Indonesian haj clinics for various illnesses. Hilman Latief, the Religious Affairs Ministry's director general for haj and umrah, urged pilgrims who are still in Saudi Arabia to follow local regulations and procedures from Indonesian authorities during their remaining time in the Middle Eastern country. 'We still have much to do [until July 11], so I hope all Indonesian officials are still standing at the ready, despite the number of pilgrims having decreased significantly,' Hilman said in a statement issued on Friday. Aside from the Muscat airport closure, the return trips for Indonesian pilgrims for this year's haj were also disrupted by bomb threats against two Saudi flights carrying pilgrims to Surabaya and Jakarta, which were forced to divert to Kualanamu International Airport in Medan on June 17 and 21. The pilgrims from both flights were forced to stay overnight in Medan while police and military officers checked on the planes for a bomb. While security personnel did not find any explosive devices on either flight, authorities are still investigating the perpetrators behind the false threats.
The Star
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Haj visa cancellations spark concerns
Holy city: A picture showing the Mina camp as Muslim pilgrims arrive in Mecca for the annual haj pilgrimage. — AFP Just as this year's haj season is set to enter its peak, concerns have emerged among Indonesian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and people back home of mismanagement following reports of illegal pilgrimage attempts and visa cancellations. According to the Religious Affairs Ministry, all 203,149 Indonesian haj pilgrims, organised into 525 flight groups, have arrived in Mecca in batches by Sunday. They are now entering a rest period to prepare physically and mentally for the peak of this year's haj season, which begins today with travel to Mount Arafat, followed by Muzdalifah and Mina. 'All Indonesian haj pilgrims are now in Mecca in a safe and healthy condition. 'This is a great achievement that we should be grateful for together,' the ministry's secretary-general, Kamaruddin Amin, said in Mecca on Sunday as quoted from a statement from his office. For many Indonesians, the haj is a once-in-a-lifetime journey that typically comes after decades of waiting due to Saudi Arabia's quota system. The wait times, however, have led some Indonesians to attempt the haj without proper visas. This year, immigration officers at 14 departure points prevented about 1,080 people from leaving the country for Saudi without following official procedures. However, some managed to slip through the cracks by entering Saudi Arabia either on a work visa or a tourist visa, instead of a haj visa. As of May 15, 117 Indonesians had been deported for such violations. In one such case, an Indonesian man was found dead of dehydration while attempting to return to Mecca illegally through the desert after initially being denied entry. 'Furoda' visa furore has also erupted back home after about 1,000 Indonesians were unable to depart for the haj because Saudi failed to issue the mujamalah visa, also known as furoda, reportedly causing hundreds of millions in losses for pilgrims and billions for travel providers. The furoda visa is issued directly by the Saudi government and lies outside the Religious Affairs Ministry's official quota system. It allows recipients to bypass long waiting times, but costs significantly more, reportedly anywhere between Rp 270 million (RM70,450) and Rp 1 billion (RM260,900). — The Jakarta Post/ANN
Arab News
08-04-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Pakistan urges Hajj pilgrims to follow Saudi Arabia's laws
ISLAMABAD: Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf on Tuesday urged Pakistani Hajj pilgrims to follow Saudi Arabia's laws during their stay in the Kingdom and consider themselves as ambassadors of their country. The minister was speaking at a Hajj training workshop in Islamabad organized by the Religious Affairs Ministry, as Pakistan launched the second phase of its mandatory training for Hajj pilgrims on Tuesday. Pakistan conducted its first phase of Hajj training in January that continued across the country until late February, with intending pilgrims trained via audio-visual devices and other materials. 'Hajj pilgrims are going as ambassadors of Pakistan, take care of the laws there,' Yousaf was quoted as telling pilgrims at the workshop. 'Do not do anything that will bring disrespect to your country,' he added. He lauded the Saudi government for making impressive arrangements for pilgrims, describing the Kingdom as a 'brotherly country.' Yousaf said Pakistani officials had reviewed Hajj arrangements in the Kingdom, vowing that pilgrims would not suffer any unpleasant experiences. The minister said that mandatory vaccinations of Pakistani Hajj pilgrims would be conducted on Apr. 20. Hajj pilgrims must comply with strict vaccination requirements set by the Saudi Ministry of Health to ensure public safety during one of the world's largest annual gatherings. Mandatory vaccines include the meningitis shot, with additional recommendations for the seasonal influenza vaccine, while travelers from regions prone to yellow fever and polio must also provide corresponding immunization certificates. These precautions are vital to prevent the spread of infectious diseases among millions of pilgrims converging in the Kingdom from across the globe. Yousaf said last week around 90,000 Pakistanis are expected to perform Hajj this year under the government scheme. Saudi Arabia has allowed Pakistan a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for the Hajj, which is split equally between government and private schemes.
