JEDDAH, 25 February — A 15-member Haj goodwill delegation from India led by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, is arriving here today.
"The delegation will land by A-I 869 flight from Delhi at 7 p.m.," according to Consul General Syed Akbaruddin. The delegation will be received by Indian Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad and the consul general.
The delegation includes Tamil Nadu Governor Fatima Bivi, and ministers, judges and law makers from various states. Among the names mentioned are Mufti Mukarram, imam of Delhi's Fatehpuri mosque, Maulana Waheeduddin Khan, Muhammad Tauseef Raza, Pir Kambeer Shah, Ramzan Khan, an MLA from western Rajasthan state, Muhammad Obaidullah, Justice Belal Marki from Kashmir, Dr. Anwar Khurshid, Zaheer Mustafa, B.D. Khan, vice president of northern Uttar Pradesh Janata Dal (United) party, Mahmood Fayyaz, Nafees Ahmad and Ahmad Sayeed Malihabadi.
Two other members are expected to join the delegation later taking their number to 17. Last year's goodwill delegation had 30 members, with federal minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain at the head.
More than 100,000 Indians will perform Haj this year. Under the quota system, the country is allowed to send up to 120,000 pilgrims.
Ahmad thanked Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, and Dr. Khaled Bakr, director general of Saudi Arabian Airlines, for approving the transportation of the Indian pilgrims this year. "I feel proud in playing a role in the resumption of Saudia's Haj flights," the ambassador said.
Saudia is transporting 20,500 Indian pilgrims this year after a gap of nearly 10 years. Saudia will also, for the first time, use Madinah Airport as a departure point for 15,000 Indian pilgrims for their return flight.
The consul general said more than 65,000 of a total of 72,000 pilgrims coming through the country's Haj Committee had arrived by last night. Some 25,000 others are coming through private operators, he added.
The schedule of pilgrims coming from four embarkation points -- Madras, Cochin, Calcutta and Bangalore has been completed, while those coming from Delhi, Bombay, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad will continue for the next few days.
A 225 strong medical team including 95 doctors has already arrived. Arriving with them were 135 administrative and support staff.
