KABUL: The first batch of Hajj pilgrims has left Afghanistan for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to perform Hajj. According to Arab News, 346 males and females, left Kabul Airport for the Kingdom on Sunday.
As per available data, 30,000 Afghan citizens will perform Hajj this year. Hajj flights will also be taking off from Kandahar, Herat and Balkh. Sayed Ahmad Mustaqim one of the pilgrims expressed happiness to visit the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. He said that they are thankful to the government of Saudi Arabia for giving them the opportunity to perform the Hajj.
Afghan Pilgrims Leave Kabul for Holy Cities of Makkah and Madinah
Many pilgrims in Afghanistan had waited years to be able to embark on the spiritual journey from the war-hit country. Abdul Qadir told Arab News that he was making preparations for the pilgrimage for the last 15 years. He said, “My plan for this spiritual journey is to pray for myself, for the whole Afghanistan that has suffered a lot of problems.”
Maulvi Abdul Kabir, the interim prime minister of Afghanistan, and other top officials of the Taliban accompanied the pilgrims to the Kabul Airport and asked them (pilgrims) in a news conference to “pray for the success of Afghan Muslims” and “for the easing of Afghans’ financial hurdles.”
The economy of war-hit Afghanistan has plunged further since the international financial bodies and the US placed the country under sanctions when Afghan Taliban took power in August 2021.
The spiritual journey of Hajj costs about $4,000 and most people in Afghanistan earn less than $200 monthly.
