The technology is improving day by day and has been acknowledging its use in every field of life. Science is making us dependent on it and we are happily doing so in order to save time and energy both. All of the previous matters that were handled manually are now feeding in computers and gadget are taking place of paper and pen so as the system regarding the procedures and documentation of Hajj and Umrah.
Umrah pilgrims are now required to biometrically verify their selves before visa application. The initiative is taken in order to protect people who come to the holy land of Makkah and Madina from all across the world for the performance of Hajj and Umrah. People all across the World wishing to perform Umrah has to biometrically verified themselves firstly before applying for Umrah visa. Same is the case with Pakistani people. The ones pertaining to Pakistan who desires to perform Hajj or Umrah also have to get biometric verification before applying for visa. The pilgrims for their umrah visabiometric verification will be charged additionally an amount of PKR 1040 million each year.
The amount is becoming a huge burden on the people as they have to pay an additional amount besides the Umrah or Hajj expanses they are already have to pay. The travel agents of many travel companies have called to cease down this process.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia proposed a new law regarding the matter that has been implemented from the month of November 2017. In accordance to this new law, each and every pilgrim will have to get biometrically verified and registered before applying for a visa. In Pakistan the working will be done with Etimad in collaboration with the Saudi government.
The procedure of biometric verification is a very complicated one and requires a lot of human effort as well as usage of materialistic resources especially for the illiterate pilgrims who wish to perform Umrah but are not capable to understand even the basics of this process. Uneducated pilgrims from countryside and rural areas are suffering from this the most. For the procedure to go on, the applicant has to take an appointment for this service, and then they have to get to the Etimad’s office on time provided by them for their biometric verification.
The process is complicated in way of its completion. Also it is a costly procedure as each pilgrim applicant has to pay PKR 650 for registration as an additional amount. According to the official statistics, about 1,600,000 Pakistani travels to the Saudi Kingdom for the holy purpose and these people will have to bear an extra cost of PKR 040 million. The credit goes all to the new law of biometric verification.
The process of biometric verification has been a source of stress and relief both. Some are seeing it a stressful process and find it fatiguing to complete the hectic process as well as to pay an additional amount. Some are seeing it in regards to a safety requirement so that the unfortunate events can be avoided by this verification.
Pakistani authorities especially those pertaining to Hajj ministry and Travel agencies are demanding to review this policy by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj so that the Pakistani people living in remote areas of the country do not have to be in problem and can avoid this additional hassle. People also have to wait for hours during the process. Many of them are senior citizens and aged and some of them are even sick for whom the process is a painful one.
This verification and identification of pilgrims who are applicants involves endeavoring unique identifiers to applicants and may be established through fingerprint scanning, face, iris or retina scanning using gadget and sensors that acquire the information. Every individual who wants to apply for Umrah or Hajj visa or for some business trip or any other purpose will have to come to visit Etimad Visa service Centers situated at numerous spots in numerous cities
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