By Garba Muhammad in Jeddah
The Director General General of the Directorate of passport in Saudi Arabia, Brigadier. Gen. Suleiman Abdullazeez Alyahya has states that the Kingdom have so far admitted a total of 1,838,339 pilgrims into Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2019 as at noon n Wednesday.
He disclosed this on Wednesday in Jeddah, at a press conference on end of phase 1 of Hajj 2019.
The DG also said about three hundred intending pilgrims were fond to have arrived the Kingdom with forged visas.
He however, said only one person with a valid visa was caught with a fake International passport.
Mr Alyahya said biometric capture of pilgrims entering KSA takes only between 15-20 seconds, adding that flights that come a little late are usually due to technical faults.
He praised the Crown Prince, Mohammed Bn Salam, for his effort in making pilgrims comfortable and for the success of the first phase of the pilgrimage for this year.
Brig Gen. Alyahya also commended the ministries of Interior, Health, Customs, Airports, the Police, Military as well as Hajj and Umrah who have provided services for the success of the operation.
He said one of the major successes recorded this year is that pilgrims do not have to wait for their luggages upon arrival at the airport. He said luggages are delivered to pilgrims at their accommodation.
ENDS
