S. Arabia to host 14,000 Kuwaiti pilgrims

Assistant undersecretary of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs for external relations and pilgrimage affairs, Dr. Mutlaq Al-Garrawi assistant undersecretary of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs for external relations and pilgrimage affairs, Dr. Mutlaq Al-Garrawi By Yousef Al-Saedi JEDDAH, Sept 18 (KUNA) -- The Saudi Government has approved hosting 14,000 Kuwaiti pilgrims for the pilgrimage season this year, a Kuwaiti official declared on Sunday. Up to 1,250 of the illegal residents in Kuwait were allowed to perform pilgrimage this year, which is the same number of 2011, said the assistant undersecretary of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs for external relations and pilgrimage affairs, Dr. Mutlaq Al-Garrawi. Al-Garrawi, in remarks to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), thanked the Saudi government for this early approval that offers enough time for the Kuwaiti pilgrimage campaigns to arrange and prepare for this holy trip according to the number of the pilgrims, allowed to perform the annual religious services. The committee of inspecting the living conditions of the Kuwaiti pilgrims in Saudi, headed by Al-Qarrawi, has paid visits, since yesterday, to 120 buildings and 50 hotels, examining readiness of services and facilities for the pilgrims during their stay at the holy places. The Kuwaiti team will continue this preparatory mission till Saturday. Inspection of the accomodation facilities for the pilgrims usually takes place during 'Shawal' every year, to avoid any negative comments from the housing conditions inspection committee. Some of the basic required conditions are separating the living place into a section for men and another for women, preparing equipped medical clinics and kitchens that conform to health regulations and requirements of civil defense, he said. He praised the keenness of the Kuwaiti Pilgrimage campaigns on abiding by these conditions, besides their continuous improvement of services. Al-Garrawi said that he will meet, during his visit to Saudi Arabia, officials of the ministry of pilgrimage, and Tawaf institutions to discuss means of cooperation. He was received at the airport by Third Secretary at Kuwait's Consulate in Jeddah, Abdullah Abu Shaiba.