Saudi Arabia Welcomes First Batch of Hajj Pilgrims

 A part of the massive reception held for Hajj 2024 pilgrims (SPA)
A part of the massive reception held for Hajj 2024 pilgrims (SPA)
TT

Saudi Arabia Welcomes First Batch of Hajj Pilgrims

 A part of the massive reception held for Hajj 2024 pilgrims (SPA)
A part of the massive reception held for Hajj 2024 pilgrims (SPA)

Saudi Arabia welcomed the first group of pilgrims for this year’s Hajj season, as well as participants of the “Makkah Road” initiative.

Arrivals from Bangladesh were received at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, while those from Türkiye and Pakistan were greeted at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in the Madinah region.

Authorities at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah also welcomed the first group of pilgrims from Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Farooq, and Consul General in Jeddah, Khalid Majid, greeted Pakistani pilgrims, totaling around 179,210 this year. About half will perform the rituals through the government, while the rest through private companies.

Saudi authorities are committed to easing entry for pilgrims by upgrading ports with the latest technology and qualified staff. Flights from Malaysia and Türkiye, part of the Makkah Road initiative, are arriving within hours.

The company handling pilgrims from non-Arab African countries welcomed the first group from South Africa, comprising 49 pilgrims.

Pilgrims in Makkah were warmly welcomed by a team from “Ithraa Al-Khair Company for Pilgrims Services” which presented them with commemorative gifts.

Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry is continuing its “Makkah Road” initiative for the sixth year, part of the Kingdom’s national transformation plan, “Vision 2030,” with designated halls in 11 airports across 7 countries: Morocco, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Türkiye, and Ivory Coast.

The aim of the initiative is to provide smooth transportation for pilgrims from these countries to the Kingdom, including electronic Hajj visa issuance, biometric data collection, and streamlined entry procedures.

Baggage is handled and sorted, and pilgrims are directly transported to their accommodations in Makkah and Madinah via dedicated routes, while partner agencies manage luggage delivery.



UAE Interior Ministry: Extensive Search Underway for Missing Moldovan Man

UAE flag flies over a boat at Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab Emirates May 22, 2015. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo
UAE flag flies over a boat at Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab Emirates May 22, 2015. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo
TT

UAE Interior Ministry: Extensive Search Underway for Missing Moldovan Man

UAE flag flies over a boat at Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab Emirates May 22, 2015. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo
UAE flag flies over a boat at Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab Emirates May 22, 2015. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo

The UAE Ministry of Interior said on Saturday that it "received a report from the family of a Moldovan national named Zvi Kogan, stating that he had been missing and out of contact since last Thursday”.
The ministry confirmed that "relevant authorities began extensive search and investigation operations immediately upon receiving the report”, the UAE’s official news agency WAM reported Sunday.
The ministry also urged the public to obtain accurate information from official sources and not get misled by “malicious” rumors.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs is "closely following the case of the missing Moldovan citizen Zvi Kogan, maintaining communication with his family, and providing all necessary support”, it added..
Majed Al Mansouri, Director of the Foreign Nationals Affairs Department at the ministry, affirmed that the Ministry is closely monitoring the case and is in close contact with his family to provide them with all means of necessary support.
He also highlighted that the Ministry is in continuous contact with the Embassy of Moldova in Abu Dhabi in this regard.