MAKKAH — Saudi and Sudanese officials discussed arrangements for 26,500 pilgrims from the northeast African country who are expected to perform Haj this year. Abbas Bin Abdul Ghani Qattan, chairman of the board of directors of the Tawafa Establishment for Arab Pilgrims Tuesday received Muteea Mohammed Ahmed, head of the Sudanese Haj office, and discussed with him the services to be provided to his country's pilgrims. The Sudanese official lauded the consummate services being provided by the Saudi government to the pilgrims from all over the world to enable them perform their religious rites in ease, peace and comfort. "Sudanese pilgrims see by their own eyes the giant projects being implemented every year for the comfort of the guests of God," he said praising the mega development projects in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites. Qattan, on his part, asked the Sudanese official to enlighten the pilgrims about the correct methods of performing Haj before their arrival in the Kingdom. He urged the pilgrims to abide by the regulations for the grouping of pilgrims heading to the Grand Mosque and to the Jamarat for the stoning ritual. He said about 50 percent of the pilgrims should not proceed to Makkah for the farewell tawaf on the 12th day of Dhul Hijja but must wait in Mina to complete the rites the next day to avoid crowding inside the Grand Mosque. Meanwhile, Chairman of the board of directors of the Tawafa Establishment for South Asian Countries Rafat Bin Ismael Badr on Tuesday signed the unified contract for Haj services with the executive director of the affairs of the Qatari pilgrims, Abdul Salam Ali Al-Qahtani. Under the contract, the establishment will provide accommodation, transport and sustenance for 1,200 Haj pilgrims expected to come from Qatar this year. Badr asked the Qatari pilgrims to arrive early so as to be able to provide them with distinguished serves, which would be difficult once the holy places become overcrowded.
