Kashmiri Hajis facing hardships in Makkah, Madina: Farooq

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President and Member Parliament from Srinagar Dr Farooq Abdullah on Friday expressed dismay over the distressing complains of the Hajis from Kashmir over the lack of transport facilities including proper accommodation at  Makkah and Madina.

While decrying the lack of facilities being given to thepilgrims’ the NC president said, “Hajj pilgrims are sending distressingmessages to their kin back home about the scantiness of facilities being givento them at Makkah. The Hajis from Kashmir are complaining about the unavailabilityof transport including other basic facilities. The relatives of the Hajis from Kashmir are lamenting that the roomarrangements for the Kashmiri pilgrims are pathetic, overcrowded. The reportshave it that the rooms which are suitable for just three persons are beingallotted to six and seven people,” adding, “Most of the Hajis are first-timetravelers so they take things as they get without even complaining, what theyare actually eligible for.  The rooms arein shambles and the bathrooms facilities are grimly. The pilgrims are alsocomplaining that the khadims designated for Kashmir based pilgrims are leastcooperative.”

   

Dr Farooq said that the pilgrims are already going throughduress in wake of doing away with Hajj Subsidies. “For most of the pilgrims, itis going to be an experience for life time. The state and the central government is duty bound to make the tripcomfortable for pilgrims. However the reports coming from the Kashmiri pilgrimsare not satisfactory. I have been receiving complaints from the kin of thosewho are on the pilgrimage.  I take thisopportunity to urge the ministry of Hajj and Umrah of the Kingdom of SaudiArabia to address the issues concerning the Hajj pilgrims from Kashmir.”Meanwhile, the NC president   had a telephonic conversation with UnionMinister for Minority Affairs Syed Muktar Abbas Naqvi in this connection. DrFarooq urged him to address the problems concerning the Hajis hailing fromKashmir. He said that he would take up the issue at all appropriate forums.

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