1,167 UAE pilgrims reach Makkah: Official

Rashid Al Mazrouei, the head of the inspection committee in the Official Hajj Mission, on Thursday said that pilgrims have started pouring from Madina to Makkah and the number of UAE pilgrims arriving to the Holy Land has reached to 1,167.

Talking to journalists here in his office, he said that a fresh batch of 352 pilgrims arrived yesterday and will continue to grow with increasing number of pilgrims. These pilgrims stayed in Madina for few days and have now started arriving to Makkah as the Hajj dates are drawing closer.

According to Al Mazrouei, 21 Hajj operators have so far entered the holy lands out of a total of 145 operators registered with the Awqaf, he added.

The head of the Inspection Committee said that the Hajj operators who are landing in Makkah must inform the Hajj official mission, and brief them with details regarding the conditions of the pilgrims, such as their housing, food and drinks, transportation and so on.

He indicated that the inspection committee, comprising four members of preachers, doctors and inspectors from the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, will check on the conditions of pilgrims and solve any problems facing them.

Expressing his satisfaction, the head of the Inspection Committee stated that pilgrims have not confronted any difficulty so far and their conditions are stable. He urged Hajj operators to display important information and telephone numbers in the accommodation premises of pilgrims for their benefit.

Al Mazrouie toured on Thursday accommodation complexes which house UAE pilgrims in the holy city of Madinah to gauge on-ground the state of the services being provided by Hajj operators to them.

He termed the overall condition of the UAE pilgrims in Madinah satisfactory in terms of the high quality services given to them.

Talking to a delegation of Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, he extended his thanks to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Their Highnesses Members of the Supreme Council and Rulers of the Emirates, and General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for their support and making pilgrims stay more comfortable in the holy land during this year Hajj season.

He said that the state has provided a lot for the comfort of the UAE pilgrims recalling the virtues of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, for perpetuating safety and security of the country, its people and residents.

He extended his gratitude to Saudi government and authorities responsible for the pilgrimage for their cooperation with the official Hajj Mission for facilitating the UAE pilgrims.

Al Mazrouie added that inspection tours of the residential buildings and interaction with UAE pilgrims residing in them had affirmed that every pilgrim is receiving proper care and premier services. He also met with the pilgrims who are sponsored by Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation and the officials of the charity.

He also met with a delegation from Hajj Watani, the UAE social development program launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

During his meeting with the head of the mission in Madinah and other officials, he expressed satisfaction with the level of services and accommodation provided by the pilgrims operators. The Hajj operators, during a meeting with him, expressed their thanks and gratitude to the leadership of the United Arab Emirates, for their keen efforts to provide all means of comfort.

He also inspected a number of medical clinics for the mission and urged workers to provide better services and praised the doctors and staff clinics. These clinics have sufficient amount of medicines and are equipped with modern devices.

He was accompanied during the tour by Dr. Farouk Hamada, Religious Advisor at the Court of H.H the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Abdul Aziz Al Ghaithi, Head of mission in Madinah and Ali Rashid Saeed Al Khanbouli, Head of Media Committee of official mission and a number of officials at the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments.

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