RIYADH: The Saudi ministry of Haj has rejected as false reports claiming that the kingdom now requires all pilgrims to declare their ‘sect’ before arriving in the country, Arab News reported here.

The ministry said that it was the Pakistani ministry concerned that had issued a form asking pilgrims to declare their sect “for their own regulatory procedures”.

The form being used for Haj application in Pakistan reportedly has a section asking, “Are you Shia,” with a box below requiring a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.

A source at the ministry said: “The kingdom does not differentiate between pilgrims according to their race, nationality, or Islamic sect.”

The source said the form seen on social networking websites was not administered by the Saudi ministry and was “a violation of the kingdom’s policy against sectarianism and racism”.

He said people should be wary of information spread online by those wishing to create strife and hatred among Muslims.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play