Governor of Makkah Region: 250,000 Workers Contributed to Serving Pilgrims

Mina,MINA — Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Governor of Makkah Region, Chairman of the Central Hajj Committee, thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud; His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Defense; and Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior, Chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee; for their supervising the plans during this year’s Hajj season.

This came in a speech delivered by Prince Al-Faisal during the concluding press conference for this year’s Hajj season which was held in Mina today. Prince Al-Faisal also thanked media men who covered this year’s Hajj season, as well as whomever contributed in serving the pilgrims, SPA reported.

Prince Al-Faisal said that the number of manpower providing services to the pilgrims exceeded 250,000 workers. He also said that the number of violators of Hajj regulations does not exceed 110,000 compared with 1,400,000 in 1433H.

The Governor of Makkah Region said that the holy sites train transported 360,000 pilgrims, while 18,000 buses transported 1,800,000 pilgrims.

Prince Al-Faisal pointed out that the health sector deployed 32,000 health practitioners. As many as 25 hospitals and 135 health centers with a capacity of 5000 beds were available in Makkah and the holy sites to serve pilgrims.

Prince Al-Faisal also said that the electric load capacity reached 17,791MW, while 40,000,000 cubic meters of water were pumped in Makkah and the holy sites. The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs provided its services through 32,000 engineers, supervisors and cleaners.

With regard to women’s rights in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Governor of Makkah Region said Islam always urges Muslims to appreciate women. Therefore, we must give them their rights guaranteed by Islam.

He also affirmed that moderation is an Islamic vision emerging from Islam and its teachings. The leader of moderation in this country is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

With regard to some media reports claiming that Saudi Arabia bans Qatari nationals from performing Hajj rituals, Prince Al-Faisal said that such reports do not affect us, as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced its willingness to receive pilgrims from any country in the world. Qatar was called to allow its citizens to perform Hajj rituals and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques said that we can send planes to transport Qatari pilgrims if Qatar allows its citizens to perform Hajj rituals. Unfortunately, Qatar prevented its citizens from performing Hajj rituals. However, we welcomed those who managed to arrive in the Kingdom, and they are now with us performing Hajj rituals.

The Governor of Makkah Region welcomed once again the pilgrims, pointing out that the number of Iranian pilgrims in this year’s Hajj season reached 86,000. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)