1.3million pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj

RELIGIOUS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – More than 1.3 million pilgrims are reported to have arrived in Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, which starts on Monday 26 June.

In total, 2.6 million Muslims are expected to come together.

There are reports that Muslims in the west, frustrated at difficulties getting tickets online, are using their secondary nationality to make a booking.

Middle East Eye explains that last year, Saudi Arabia introduced a new rule that prospective travellers from western countries must book their visits to Mecca through the government website Nusuk, rather than via travel agencies.

Quotas are set for different countries and this year the tickets available for British Muslims was reduced from more than 25,000 to 3,600.

The report says the Pakistani quota is 180,000 and it tells the story of British and American Pakistanis who, frustrated at attempts to book online from the UK and US, booked via Pakistani travel agencies instead.