Saudi Gazette RIYADH/MAKKAH — Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, deputy premier, minister of interior and chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, has approved the general plan for carrying out Civil Defense work in emergency cases during the Haj season this year. This was announced by the Director General of Civil Defense Lt. Gen. Sulaiman Bin Abdullah Al-Amr, who lauded the efforts of the Kingdom's government in serving pilgrims and providing all the required potentials for facilitating performing Haj rites in a peaceful and secure atmosphere. Lt. Gen. Al-Amr said that over 17,000 officers and privates are participating in carrying out the general plan for emergencies in Haj with the help of 3000 machines and equipment. There is also a plan for supporting the Civil Defense forces with personnel from the regions in case they are needed. With the approval of this plan, the Civil Defense have reached the highest level of preparedness to counter 13 probable hazards through a number of Civil Defense centers and units in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites, Lt. Gen. Al-Amr added. He said the plan was based on studying and drawing lessons from the positive and negative aspects experienced during the past years. In another development, Lt. Gen. Khaled Bin Qarar Al-Harbi, commander of the Haj Security Forces chaired the meeting for representatives of security development agencies of the Ministry of Interior. The meeting was held at the Command and Control 911 Center. At the outset of the meeting, Lt. Gen. Al-Harbi said that this meeting comes in implementation of the directives of Crown Prince Muhammad to discuss passing a number of new security regulations, which will be implemented during this year's Haj after being tested with follow-up by the Director General of Public Security Lt. Gen. Othman Bin Nasser Al-Muhrij.
