Saudi Haj Ministry generates electronic link for Qatari piligrims

The Ministry of Haj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia has allocated an electronic link to Qatari pilgrims wishing to perform Haj this year, according to media reports. Using the link, the Qatari citizens who want to go for Haj this season can apply for the same using the generated link.

The Saudi Ministry has called on the Qatari authorities to not block electronic links, as was done in the past, and to cooperate in enabling Qatari pilgrims to perform their Haj rituals easily and comfortably.

On Saturday, the ministry said the Qatari government was blocking attempts by its citizens to perform the pilgrimage, adding that it had taken several measures to ensure Qatari pilgrims could enter the Kingdom for the upcoming season. Following a meeting of the ministry and a Qatari delegation to discuss the logistics of pilgrims from the country coming into the Kingdom, a statement said the delegation from Doha left without signing any agreement to enable access for it citizens.

The relations between the country have been going through a rough patch when two years ago Saudi Arabia along with three other countries, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and trade ties with Doha, and imposed a sea, land and air blockade on Qatar, claiming it supported "terrorism" and was too close to Iran.

Qatar rejected the claims and said there was "no legitimate justification" for the severance of relations.