MAKKAH – Saudi Arabia has issued 1.8 million Hajj e-visas for this year’s Hajj season 2023, the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdulfattah Mashat announced.

In a press conference organized by the Saudi Journalists Association’s branch in Makkah on Saturday, Dr. Mashat affirmed that success is measured by three criteria: security, safety, and health.

He added that the Hajj management and organizational efforts provide the appropriate environment for the pilgrims to perform the rituals easily and comfortably.

In 1442 Hijri, the great challenge that faced the Ministry was the spread of coronavirus, Dr. Mashat said, affirming that the number of pilgrims was limited to 60,000, all from inside the Kingdom.

He highlighted the challenge of providing an appropriate environment for pilgrims amid such conditions through a unified system of various authorities to protect the pilgrims from the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Dr. Mashat said the Ministry’s preparations for the upcoming Hajj season start with the end of the previous one, stressing that such preparedness is also linked to other relevant sectors.

The Ministry launched digital platforms for Hajj registration for domestic pilgrims six months ahead of the start of the season, Dr. Mashat said.

He noted that the number of pilgrims is not complete until the 13th of Dhul Hijjah, given that pilgrims’ trips before that time take place at different times and that pilgrims travel to Makkah and Madinah via various land, sea, and air means.

The deputy Hajj and Umrah minister also praised the technology employed in the Ministry’s various work fields as a lifeline for the Ministry.

Moreover, he noted that five places had been allocated to transport pilgrims from Mina to the Grand Mosque through specific routes. — SPA