JEDDAH: Sri Lankan Minister for Transport and Haj A.H.M. Fowzie is here to meet with local authorities and plead for a raise in the number of pilgrims for this year’s Haj.
Speaking to Arab News, the minister said the local authorities fixed varied pilgrim numbers for the island state in the last four years. In the past two years, 5,300 pilgrims performed Haj each year.
“I am here to see that the local authorities raise the Sri Lankan number to 6,500 for the ensuing Haj,” Fowzie said.
“A number of people are waiting back home to come for Haj,” the minister said emphasizing that he was under tremendous pressure to get the number increased to 6,500 so that all of them could fulfill their life’s dream.
He added that with the restoration of peace following the liberation of rebel-held areas, more Muslims from the island’s eastern and northcentral provinces are seeking to perform the pilgrimage.
Fowzie, who signed a Haj agreement following talks with Haj Minister Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy in July, said the accord indicated only 2,800 pilgrims for Sri Lanka. “I have come here to request for an increased quota of pilgrims to accommodate expected new pilgrims from the liberated areas.”
In response to a special request made by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2007, the Kingdom increased the quota of Sri Lankan pilgrims from 4,500 to 5,500.
