First batch of Lankan Haj pilgrims arrive in Saudi

Mohammed RASOOLDEEN in Riyadh

The first batch of Sri Lankan Haj pilgrims arrived at the Haj Terminal in Jeddah on Thursday evening.

On arrival, they were received by the country’s ambassador Ahmed A. Jawad , Consul General Adam Bawa Uthumalebbe and officials from the Lankan consulate in Jeddah.

Ambassador Jawad said the first group comprising 160 pilgrims were from two travel groups from the island. He said that this year the Saudi authorities have raised Sri Lanka’s Haj quota to 3,800 pilgrims from the original quota of 2,800.

The last group from the island would arrive in Makkah on October 30. “President Mahinda Rajapaksa has given special instructions to the Sri Lankan missions in the Kingdom directing the respective heads of missions to offer the best facilities and services to the Lankan pilgrims,” Jawad said. He added that this year Saudi Arabian Airlines and SriLankan Airlines will ferry the pilgrims from Colombo.

At the Bandaranaike International Airport, the pilgrims were seen off by Senior Minister in charge of Sri Lankan Haj operations AHM Fowzie, Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana, Farook Wazeer Ali, deputy chief of mission of the Saudi embassy in Colombo, Saudi Arabian Airlines Country Manager in Colombo Mohammed Al-Fikhri, Kareem Shums, managing director of Aero World, GSA for Saudi Arabian Airlines in Colombo and Traveller Globe Managing Director Rizmi Reyal, leading travel operator in the island. Saudi Arabian Airlines will carry the Hajis in 15 flights while SriLankan Airlines will ferry pilgrims in its regular flights. Sri Lankan Airlines would carry pilgrims on October 11 from Colombo.