King Salman, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has asked authorities to redouble their efforts to accord maximum facilities to the pilgrims enabling them to perform their rituals in ease, comfort and tranquility of mind. Presiding over the weekly Cabinet meeting here on Monday, the King welcomed the thousands of pilgrims who have already arrived in the Kingdom to perform the Haj, the fifth pillar of Islam. The King also asked the pilgrims to devote themselves to worship and Haj rituals and stay away from actions that are contrary to Islamic teachings and the noble essence of the once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage. The King directed all government and private agencies involved in Haj services to start their consummate services to the pilgrims right from the time they are granted visa until their departure from the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said. "The Kingdom is spending billions of riyals on the expansion projects in Makkah, Madinah and other holy sites for the welfare of the pilgrims," the King was quoted as saying by Minister of Culture and Information Adel Al-Turaifi. The King also briefed the Cabinet on the message he received from President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), said quoting Minister of Culture and Information Adel Al-Turaifi The Cabinet appreciated King Salman's order to pay one month salary as bonus for the military and security personnel actively involved in military operations in Yemen in recognition of their sacrifices for the religion and the homeland. On international issues, the Cabinet renewed the Kingdom's strong condemnation and denunciation of the bombing in Quetta city in southwestern Pakistan and Thailand that resulted in killing and wounding dozens of people. The Cabinet appealed to the international community and the United Nations Security Council to provide immediate and urgent protection to civilians and children in Aleppo and other Syrian cities, stop blood shedding, and play an active role in facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid immediately instead of the forced displacement of children and their families. It also stressed the Kingdom's condemnation in the strongest terms of the continuation of the Syrian regime's violations and its allies on a daily basis against civilians and exposing women and children to killing, destroying cities by indiscriminate aerial bombardment, deliberate targeting of schools, hospitals and medical personnel and using the blockade as a tactic of war. The Cabinet commended the success being achieved by Souk Okaz year after year which transfers the festival from the local to global framework. The Cabinet said the festival preserves the Saudi culture and heritage and shows the Kingdom's wonderful image to the world.
