Abdulrahman Al-Ali Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Pilgrims from Syria will be provided with the utmost care upon their arrival in the Kingdom, Dr. Bandar Al-Hajjar, Minister of Haj, said here, Wednesday. Concerned authorities have finalized all arrangements for the arrival and stay of Syrian pilgrims in the Kingdom, he added. Al-Hajjar's comments put to rest confusion over the arrival of pilgrims from the violence-torn country where more than 27,000 people have died since the uprising erupted in March 2011. Syrian state media reported Tuesday that the Kingdom had barred Syrians from entering the country to perform Haj. Meanwhile, the Kingdom has rejected requests by 40 countries to increase their Haj quota this year because of development projects now under way in the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, local dailies said Wednesday. “The ministry has apologized to all countries which had asked to increase the number of their pilgrims this year... (because of) the giant development projects in Makkah and Madinah which make it difficult to accommodate more pilgrims,” Al-Hajjar was reported as saying by the local media. Al-Hajjar also shed light on the strategic Haj and Umrah plan for the next 15 years. A ministerial committee, he said, has been tasked with laying down the technical standards and specifications of the plan. Science and technology will have a major role to play in this plan which also envisages the restructuring of Tawafa establishments. The plan will be referred to the Council of Ministers for approval soon, he said.
