Sri Lankan Haj pilgrims arrive in Jeddah

The first group of 149 of the 2,850 Sri Lankan Haj pilgrims arrived in Jeddah on a Saudi Arabian Airlines plane on Monday.

The island’s national carrier, SriLankan Airlines will carry 25 percent of the pilgrims, while the Saudi Arabia’s national carrier will ferry the other pilgrims within the next few days.

Sri Lankan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mohammed Azmi Thassim, Acting Consul General Uthuma Lebber Mohammed Niyas and senior diplomats welcomed the pilgrims.

“This year, we had a increased quota because some of the development works have been completed in Makkah,” Thassim, who received the pilgrims told the Daily News.

The envoy said the consulate has deployed a team at the Haj terminal of the Jeddah airport to welcome Sri Lankan pilgrims. The officials offer refreshments to the pilgrims on arrival and attend to their needs until they leave for the holy cities. He said four teams have been formed in Makkah, Jeddah, Minah and Madinah to assist the pilgrims. In addition to the mission’s staff, the diplomat said he had solicited the cooperation of volunteers, who would help the pilgrims in Makkah, Madinah and at the Haj terminal.

“A medical team will also arrive with the pilgrims to look after their health needs,” Thassim said. 

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