President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih bid farewell to the final batch of Maldivian pilgrims departing for Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform the Hajj pilgrimage. He met with the 288 intending pilgrims at Velana International Airport (VIA), wishing them a blessed Hajj and a safe journey.
Furthermore, President Solih has appointed Vice President Faisal Naseem as the Head of the Maldives Hajj Mission for 2023. As such, Vice President Naseem will oversee the smooth and safe operation of the Maldivian pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage.
Speaking to PSM News, Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Ahmed Zahir commended the dedicated efforts of the Hajj Mission in organising the affairs of the pilgrims from the Maldives. He praised the thorough job undertaken by government companies involved in the coordination of the Hajj.
The Maldives received 1,000 quotas for Hajj this year. Two-thirds of the quota has been given to the Maldives Hajj Corporation Limited (MHCL). The rest of the quota has been divided among three companies. The corporation will be tasked with facilitating the travel of half of the Maldivian Hajj pilgrims this year while the other half of the quota will be distributed to three other companies. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs decided that the chosen companies will receive 90 slots each in order to facilitate easy and convenient travel for pilgrims.