First Lankan Haj pilgrims arrive in Saudi
October 19, 2010 05:23 pm
RIYADH: The first group of 350 Sri Lankan Haj pilgrims arrived at Jeddah’s Haj Terminal via Saudi Arabian Airlines on Sunday.
Sri Lankan Ambassador Ahmed A. Jawad and Consul General Sabarullah Khan received the pilgrims. “This year, Sri Lanka will send an enhanced number of pilgrims since the government’s reduced Haj package has attracted a larger number of pilgrims,” said Jawad.
Sri Lankan Haj operations this year have been streamlined through a committee headed by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Other members of the committee include Western Province Gov. Alavi Mowlana, Deputy Minister for Environment Faiszer Mustapha and former Deputy Mayor of Colombo Azath Salley.
Haj used to cost pilgrims 500,000 rupees; the new Haj committee has reduced the price to 325,000.
“This was the first group of 5,800 Haj pilgrims. There are 14 more flights that will bring passengers from Sri Lanka in the coming days,” said Jawad, adding that a flight carrying the final batch of Sri Lankan pilgrims will arrive on Nov. 12. Half of people in the group are women and children.
Sri Lankan pilgrims will be brought to the Kingdom in flights run by Saudi Arabian Airlines, Emirates, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Qatar Airways, SriLankan Airlines and Oman Airways.
Last year, the island sent 4,500 pilgrims although the quota given to Sri Lanka was increased to 5,800. The Colombo Haj committee has this year also appointed a three-member coordinating committee in Makkah to supervise Haj arrangements and liaise with the Saudi authorities. Another special team has been formed by the Sri Lankan consulate in Jeddah to look after the interests of Sri Lankan pilgrims.
A medical team from Colombo is expected to join the Sri Lankan pilgrims. The volunteers were given an orientation program at the Sri Lankan Consulate in Jeddah.
Photo caption: From left, Sri Lankan Consul General Sabarullah Khan, Sri Lankan Ambassador Ahmed A. Jawad and Mohammed Nijjar, a pilgrim from Colombo, at the Haj terminal after the arrival of the first batch of Sri Lankan pilgrims on Sunday. (Text/Photo courtesy Arab News)
Sri Lankan Ambassador Ahmed A. Jawad and Consul General Sabarullah Khan received the pilgrims. “This year, Sri Lanka will send an enhanced number of pilgrims since the government’s reduced Haj package has attracted a larger number of pilgrims,” said Jawad.
Sri Lankan Haj operations this year have been streamlined through a committee headed by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Other members of the committee include Western Province Gov. Alavi Mowlana, Deputy Minister for Environment Faiszer Mustapha and former Deputy Mayor of Colombo Azath Salley.
Haj used to cost pilgrims 500,000 rupees; the new Haj committee has reduced the price to 325,000.
“This was the first group of 5,800 Haj pilgrims. There are 14 more flights that will bring passengers from Sri Lanka in the coming days,” said Jawad, adding that a flight carrying the final batch of Sri Lankan pilgrims will arrive on Nov. 12. Half of people in the group are women and children.
Sri Lankan pilgrims will be brought to the Kingdom in flights run by Saudi Arabian Airlines, Emirates, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Qatar Airways, SriLankan Airlines and Oman Airways.
Last year, the island sent 4,500 pilgrims although the quota given to Sri Lanka was increased to 5,800. The Colombo Haj committee has this year also appointed a three-member coordinating committee in Makkah to supervise Haj arrangements and liaise with the Saudi authorities. Another special team has been formed by the Sri Lankan consulate in Jeddah to look after the interests of Sri Lankan pilgrims.
A medical team from Colombo is expected to join the Sri Lankan pilgrims. The volunteers were given an orientation program at the Sri Lankan Consulate in Jeddah.
Photo caption: From left, Sri Lankan Consul General Sabarullah Khan, Sri Lankan Ambassador Ahmed A. Jawad and Mohammed Nijjar, a pilgrim from Colombo, at the Haj terminal after the arrival of the first batch of Sri Lankan pilgrims on Sunday. (Text/Photo courtesy Arab News)
