JEDDAH, 21 January 2003 — The Haj Ministry in coordination with Saudi missions abroad has issued 1.3 million Haj visas this year, Okaz reported yesterday quoting Abdul Fattah Fida, acting director of the ministry’s office in Makkah. He said the ministry will provide temporary employment to 573 people during the Haj season. About 93 percent of pilgrims will come by plane while four percent by ship and three percent by land, he said. “There is a project to distribute kits containing soap, toothbrush and paste and water bottles among the pilgrims on Arafat day,” he said, adding that the project will cost SR2.3 million.

100 Afghan guests

RIYADH, 21 January 2003 — A total of 100 Afghan dignitaries will perform Haj this year as the guests of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd, it was announced here yesterday. The Saudi Committee for Providing Relief to Afghans will make the necessary arrangements to receive the guest pilgrims. The king agreed to host the Afghan pilgrims on recommendation of Interior Minister Prince Naif, who is the general supervisor of the relief committee.

130,000 pilgrims visit Madinah

MADINAH, 21 January 2003 — More than 130,000 pilgrims have already arrived here to pray at the Prophet’s Mosque. Government departments in Madinah have stepped up efforts to provide the best possible services to the guests of God, Okaz reported. (AN)

SR411m to keep Makkah clean

MAKKAH, 21 January 2003 — The Makkah Municipality has mobilized all its resources to keep the holy city clean during the Haj season, Mayor Dr. Khaled Nuhas told Okaz. Municipal and Rural Affairs Minister Dr. Mohammed Al-Jarallah has signed an SR411 million contract with a national company for cleaning Makkah and other holy sites. The municipality will deploy 14,000 employees to ensure cleanliness during the Haj season.

80,000 Nigerian pilgrims

JEDDAH, 21 January 2003 — As many as 80,000 Nigerians will perform Haj this year, according to Abdul Wahid Saifuddin, chairman of the Tawafa organization for non-Arab African pilgrims. He said the first groups of Nigerian, Senegalese, Malian and Guinean pilgrims arrived here on Sunday. The pilgrims were received on arrival by Abdullah Marghalani, director of the Haj Ministry’s office in Jeddah, Saifuddin and other top officials. The pilgrims were later transported to Madinah.