KABUL: The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) officials have informed of the departure of the first group of Afghan pilgrims from Kabul International Airport. Afghanistan Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs says the first group of Afghan pilgrims began their trips to Saudi Arabia on Sunday to perform this year’s Hajj.
The ministry added that dispatching Afghan pilgrims to perform Hajj has been started from the capital and the process will soon start from other zones. According to the ministry, government officials and employees of the ministry of hajj tasked by the working committee and pilgrims were part of the first flight leaving for Saudi Arabia.
In a ceremony held on this occasion at Kabul International Airport, acting Minister of Hajj and Religious affairs said that Afghan pilgrims should keep their solidarity and brotherhood during their hajj visit and perform all rituals with full patience and determination. In the ceremony, Second Deputy Prime Minister Mawlavi Abdul Salam Hanafi said that this year, 13,582 Hajjis ‘pilgrims’ would go from Afghanistan together with a number of mentors. He said that all preparations have been taken for transferring the Afghan pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs Mawlavi Abdul Kabir in a meeting with Afghan pilgrims leaving for Saudi Arabia asked that the Afghan pilgrims to pass a message of sympathy and brotherhood of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to the world pilgrims performing hajj.
It is worth mentioning that Saudi Arabia has allowed up to 1 million people — from both inside and outside the country — to join the Hajj pilgrimage this year, thus expanding the key event to worshippers from outside the Kingdom after two years of tight restrictions. Afghanistan has been allocated a quota of 13,582 pilgrims to perform the Hajj in 2022.
Qarizada
First Afghan pilgrims leave for Saudi Arabia
