SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO EGYPT HISHAM NAZIR HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE GREAT ATTENTION GIVEN BY THE SAUDI AUTHORITIES TO THE PILGRIMS. IN A STATEMENT PUBLISHED IN CAIRO-BASED AL-AKHBAR NEWSPAPER TODAY, NAZIR SAID ABOUT 1.5 MILLION PERSONS, INCLUDING 71,000 EGYPTIANS, ARE EXPECTED TO PERFORM HAJJ THIS YEAR. HE NOTED THAT THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT PREPARES EVERY YEAR AN OPERATIONAL PLAN FOR THE SERVICE OF THE PILGRIMS AND ENABLING THEM TO PERFORM THEIR RITUALS IN COMFORT AND EASE. NAZIR DESCRIBED THE PROJECT OF JAMRAT BRIDGE AT MINA IN THE HOLY PLACES AS A GIGANTIC PROJECT WILL POSITIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO ENSURING THE SAFETY OF THE PILGRIMS. THE PROJECT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AT A TOTAL COST OF ABOUT SR4.2 BILLION, HE ADDED.
