Pilgrims laud care and services of Saudi leadership and government
A number of pilgrims have lauded the large-scale services and top attention given by the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz and his Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz to ease further performance of Hajj rituals by millions of pilgrims who gather every year in Makkah, Madinah and the holy places from all corners of the world.
These services cover health, safety, security, telecommunications, electricity, water, foodstuffs, transportation, guidance on Hajj rituals and others, which are provided by the concerned governmental bodies, especially delegated to serve pilgrims during the Hajj season.
In statements to the Saudi Press Agency, the pilgrims said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has won the privilege and honor of serving the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah. They singled out the gigantic expansion works and development projects at the holy sites completed by the Saudi government to enable the pilgrims to perform their religious rituals in ease and comfort as well as provide ample accommodation for millions of worshippers not only during the Hajj season but also throughout the year. They praised the completion of the first phase of the Jamarat bridge, which ease the movement of pilgrims and resolved the problem of over-crowding.
Adam Bheen Bharon, who works in University of Science in Malaysia and is performing Hajj for the first time, praised the fine preparations made by the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, for the convenience of pilgrims.
He praised the government's security and safety measures and other services for pilgrims, noting the valuable guidance services offered by security men and Saudi Arabian Scouts to all pilgrims in general and the elderly ones in particular.
"Moreover, the movement of pilgrims in holy places and the Jamarat bridge in Mina was smooth and fast," he said.
On his part, Khalil Ahmad Asbahesh, a Bosnian national, said he found great progress in his second Hajj as compared to the one he had performed in 1416 AH.
He lauded security and other services provided by the government, the infrastructure development in the holy sites and completion of the first phase of the gigantic project of Jamarat bridge, which could enable him to finish his stone-throwing ritual within 10-15 minutes and resolved the problem of over-crowding there.
Another Indonesian pilgrim named Adaino Hiron, an oil company employee in his country, who is performing Hajj for the first time, thanked the Saudi government for the facilities and services provided to pilgrims in Makkah, Madinah and the holy places.
Siraj Baqtan, the director of a secondary school in Pakistan, described as "unprecedented and beyond any one's imagination" the large-scale services and facilities offered to pilgrims by the concerned Saudi Hajj bodies and various ministries in the Kingdom.
He said the incident-free stoning ritual was the outcome of completion of the first phase of Jamarat bridge project and comprehensive arrangements made by security personnel to regulate the movement of pilgrims there. "There was absolutely no over-crowding," he noted.
For his part, Ahmed Ibraimov, a Bosnian pilgrim who performed Hajj for the first time, was impressed by huge facilities and services and commended the
great care offered to all pilgrims by the Saudi leadership and government.
He said he is completing all Hajj rituals in a gentle, peaceful and secured atmosphere as well as expressed
his deep appreciation and gratitude to the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and all the concerned Hajj bodies and personnel for their excellent works and efforts to make Hajj a comfortable mission.