KUWAIT CITY, Nov 17: Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Mohammad Al-Wasmi supervised the sorting of Hajj pilgrimage applications to choose 8,000 pilgrims who met the conditions. In a press statement following the press conference in the ministry on Sunday with representatives of the Kuwait Hajj Caravans Union in attendance; Al-Wasmi revealed that the sorting process for those who registered on the platform to perform Hajj for the year 1446 (Islamic calendar) was carried out smoothly and transparently. He affirmed there were no errors in the sorting process. “We are here to overcome obstacles. Every year, we work hard to develop the registration mechanism to ensure ease of sorting,” he added. Asked about increasing Kuwait’s pilgrims quota, he said “The number of Hajj applicants on the electronic platform reached 34,700 citizens and 8,000 pilgrims were selected. In cooperation with our brothers in Saudi Arabia, we are hoping to increase the number; which is possible, but not yet confirmed.” He said the Kuwaiti caravans are known for their excellence in service provision, given their long experience in the field.

Meanwhile, Director of the Hajj and Umrah Department Sattam Al-Muzain said the ministry submitted a request to the Saudi Ministry of Hajj to increase Kuwait’s quota by 3,000. Regarding the Hajj of Bedouns, he disclosed the ministry is waiting for official approvals. He clarified the quota for this category has yet to be determined and it will be known once the approvals are obtained. He stated that 7,700 slots were allocated for the Sunni and Jaafari sects, and 300 for the religious and medical teams accompanying the caravans. He explained the sorting mechanism was based on three age groups, as it was done by prioritizing the oldest age in each group. He said the first group consisted of those 60 years old and above, the second group consisted of those aged 35 to 59 years old, and the third group consisted of those 34 years old and below. He added those who were accepted will receive messages and notifications through the Sahel application, urging them to register for the caravans within five days to ensure their names are not deleted from the platform. He confirmed there is a link with the Ministry of Interior to verify the pilgrims’ data and compliance with the requirements of Saudi Arabia, indicating that all those who were accepted have not performed Hajj before. “After amending the Hajj regulations, the fees for Hajj are now down to a total of KD1,650; compared to the price range of KD3,500 to KD4,000 before the amendment,” he concluded.

By Mohammad Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff