Placement confirmed for 2,000 hajj pilgrims

Placement has been confirmed for 2,000 Maldivian hajj pilgrims after uncertainty over 1,000 of the 2,000 spots promised by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Uncertainty over the 1,000 spots arose after Saudi Arabian government in their interactions with Maldivian government, said that only 1,000 spots would be given to Maldives.

A week back, a senior Maldivian government official in charge of hajj arrangements spoke to “Sun” and said that Saudi government had only confirmed 1,000 spots for Maldives.

Officials from Ministry of Islamic Affairs – ranging from the highest to the lowest – had responded to questions by “Sun” with a “no comment.”

A government official on Saturday said that the government had never said that 2,000 of the pilgrims will not be allowed to embark on hajj, and alleged that such talk had been spread by the media.

He said that 2,000 pilgrims will be going to Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s hajj, as had been previously announced.