Kazakh pilgrims start arriving in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj
JEDDAH. KAZINFORM - Another group of 144 Kazakh pilgrims arrived to the Jeddah International Airport (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). They were met by the diplomats of the Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Jeddah, headed by the Consul General Ruslan Kospanov. The first group of Kazakhstanis arrived to Medina on June 15, 2023, Kazinform cites the press service of the Kazakh MFA.
According to the quota allocated by the Government of Saudi Arabia for Kazakhstan for 2023, it is expected that in the period from June 15 to July 10, about 4 thousand Kazakh citizens will visit the holy places of the Kingdom. The performing of the main rites of the Hajj falls on the period from June 27 to July 4 of this year.
Transportation of pilgrims of Kazakhstan in the current season of Hajj is carried out by SCAT (Kazakhstan), Turkish Airlines (Turkiye), Jazeera Airways (Kuwait) and Saudi FlyNas air companies. The airliners of these companies will deliver our citizens to the cities of the Kingdom – Jeddah and Medina from Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, Turkestan and Aktau in the period of June 15-23 and will take them back in the period of July 2-10, 2023.
During the pilgrimage period, the Consulate General operates in a special regime. Arrival and departure of pilgrims from Kazakhstan are held according to the duty schedule of diplomats with the participation of representatives of the Kazakh hajj mission, formed by the Spiritual Board of Muslims of Kazakhstan (SAMK).
The task of the Consulate General includes issues of coordination and interaction with local authorities during the stay of Kazakh citizens in the Kingdom, as well as ensuring their safety and timely return to their homeland. For this purpose, contacts have been established with the government and aviation authorities of Saudi Arabia responsible for the Hajj 2023 season, as well as with the Hajj mission of Kazakhstan.
In general, the Consulate General conducts explanatory work among pilgrims on compliance with the legislation of the host country, sanitary and hygienic standards in order to avoid various infectious diseases (flu, meningitis), as well as respect for local traditions and manners, etc.
At the central headquarters in the cities of Mecca and Medina, stationary points will be allocated by the SAMK, where Kazakh doctors, along with local medical institutions, provide necessary medical care to our pilgrims around the clock if they apply.
This year, the Saudi authorities decided to lift all bans related to the pandemic and invite pilgrims from all over the world without age restrictions. Thus, it is expected that the number of those who will perform Hajj this year could be about 2.6 million people (in 2022 – 1 million people aged 18 to 65 years).