Finance Minister to head this year

Minister of Finance and Treasury Abdulla Jihad has been designated as the Ameer-al Hajj and will head the Hajj pilgrims from Maldives this year.

President’s Office states that the decision was made on 23rd September.

Government issued permits to eight Hajj groups to arrange the pilgrimage this year and approximately 800 Maldivian pilgrims have left for Saudi Arabia early last month.

The Saudi Arabian government initially granted 1000 slots to the Maldives, but later reduced the number to 800 due to space constraints over ongoing expansion and renovation of Masjid Al-Haram. However, the Saudi government later increased the quota to 1000 pilgrims, by when it was too late for more pilgrims enroll for the journey.