JEDDAH, 22 January 2004 — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed will head a 16-member Indian Haj goodwill delegation, which arrives here on Jan. 27.
The delegation includes member of Parliament from Kerala E. Ahmed, Uttar Pradesh Urban Development Minister Azam Khan and three women — Dr. Firoza Bano, Shahjan Begum and Nafisa Hussain.
Other members are Muhammad Abid Saeed Khan, Qayyum Ahmad, Arif Baig, Muhammad Ghouse Mohiuddin, A.A. Naqvi, Muhammad Mumtaz, Ashraf Wahi, Abdul Ghani, Ahmad Shakeel and Muhammad Hussain Khan.
“By noon yesterday, 62,661 pilgrims coming though the Haj Committee of India (HCI) had arrived,” said Hifzur Rahman, consul (press and information) at the Consulate General of India.
Some 35,000 of the pilgrims have already visited Madinah and the rest will go to the holy city to pray at the Prophet’s Mosque after performing Haj, he said, adding that the last group of pilgrims will leave Madinah for Makkah on Sunday.
About 10,000 HCI pilgrims are still to arrive. The last group of pilgrims will arrive on Jan. 27.
More than 120,000 Indian pilgrims are expected to perform Haj this year, about the same number as last year. In addition to HCI pilgrims, up to 40,000 others are traveling to Makkah by arrangement with private tour operators in India. Additionally, Indian expatriates living here and Indians from third countries are also expected to perform the annual pilgrimage.
