AlHijjah 19, 1433, Nov 4, 2012, SPA -- In its first meeting after Eid Al-Adh-ha recess, Majlis Ashura (Consultative Council) offered congratulations to the Saudi leadership, the royal family, government authorities and Saudi people on the unprecedented success of the recently-concluded Hajj, the world's largest religious congregation. Presided over by its Speaker Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Al-Shiekh, the Shura Council attributed the success of Hajj to partly giant development projects ordered by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the sacred shrines together with the high standard performance of governmental service sectors and the cooperation of pilgrims missions and ordinary pilgrims. The meeting approved by majority to oblige Saudi females obtain national identification cards according to a gradually-phased plan of no more than seven years. In a statement following the meeting, Dr. Fihad bin Mu'tad Al-Hamad, Assistant Speaker of the Shura Council, said the Council authorized the Minister of Interior to order setting up the gradually-phased plan, giving priority of granting the cards to student-scholarships, job and social insurance seekers. According to the new system, Saudi citizens above 15 will be obliged to obtain identity cards which is optional for those between ten and 15 subject to parents approval, the statement said. The Shoura Council also expressed profound sorrow of the two accidental accidents in the city of Riyadh and the Province of Abgaig, killing 46 in total, offering its condolence and sympathy to their families and relatives and appealing to Allah Almighty to bestow mercy upon their souls. --More
