RIYADH/JEDDAH, 18 December 2005 — Saudi Arabia has stepped up preparations for the forthcoming Haj that begins on Jan. 8. More than 2.5 million pilgrims are expected to assemble in Makkah and nearby holy sites for the largest gathering of Muslims in the world.
The government has spent more than SR1 billion on various development projects in Makkah, Mina and Arafat this year to increase facilities for the guests of God. This includes expansion of the Jamrat (stoning area) in Mina.
Thousands of pilgrims have already arrived in Makkah and Madinah to take part in the five-day event. The first batch of Iranian and Tunisian pilgrims arrived in Jeddah yesterday. Iran will send 102,000 pilgrims this year for Haj. Saudi Arabian Airlines and Iran Air will transport the Iranian pilgrims.
Saudia has made arrangements for the transport of more than one million pilgrims on 4,896 flights during this Haj season from both domestic and international stations.
Khaled Ben-Bakr, the airline’s director general, emphasized Saudia’s commitment to provide the best possible services to the guests of God on directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.
Meanwhile, the Passport Department has urged both Saudis and expatriates intending to perform Haj this year to sign a contract with one of the licensed Haj service agents in order to get Haj permits.
Maj. Gen. Salem Al-Bilaihid, director general of the department, said citizens and residents who performed Haj during the past five years would not be given permission to obtain a Haj permit this year.
He said the only way to obtain a Haj permit for citizens or residents is to proceed to one of the authorized Haj service agents and register with them, as those agents will then finish the necessary paperwork for them with concerned authorities to issue Haj permits for all its registered pilgrims after completing the Ministry of Haj’s recommendations and the necessary requirements.
Al-Bilaihid said that non-Saudis must have valid iqamas. Domestic Haj service agents will tender their request for Haj permits based on the number of pilgrims they are allowed to accommodate by the Ministry of Haj.
He also said that housemaids might also obtain Haj permits if their sponsors have received the permits from authorized Haj service agents. The sponsor must submit a request on behalf of the maid, telling authorities that he wishes her to accompany his family during the ritual.
The director general said that only the owners of domestic Haj service agents or their representatives were allowed to process paperwork to get permits from various passport departments in the Kingdom. Local public service offices will not be allowed to submit requests for Haj permits for individuals, he added.
Al-Bilaihid said that anyone who has received or will receive a permit to perform Haj this year and will not be able to perform the ritual should return the permit to the nearest Passport Department at least a month before the next Haj so his name could be deleted from the passport data system.