Haj minister cuts pilgrim quota for safety measure
Image:Bigstock/MawardiBahar
Saudi Arabia to see temporary dip in pilgrim numbers
JEDDAH, January 14, 2016
Saudi Arabia will see a significant drop in the number of Haj pilgrims until the completion of the expansion projects at the two holy mosques, said a report.
According to Arab News, Minister of Haj Bandar Hajjar confirmed that the dip in pilgrim numbers is a temporary measure for the safety of Hajis.
Domestic pilgrim numbers will reduce by 50 per cent while the number of foreign pilgrims will drop by 20 per cent, Hajjar said.
As a cautionary, all pilgrims are required to obtain prior approval from the Ministry of Culture and Information before any country announces media activities for Haj events.
Furthermore, the ministry recently changed the name of the "Haj Mission" to "The Office of Pilgrims Affairs", while the Haj Medical Mission's name has been changed to the "Medical Office" to avoid any confusion on the part of Haj Missions concerning the job description and the tasks it assumes, the report said.