Saudi Gazette Report

MINA — On behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman received Eid Al-Adha well-wishers at the Royal Court of Mina Palace on Friday.

The reception was attended by Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh, several princes, senior scholars and sheikhs, senior officials of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, ministers, and the commanders of the military sectors and scouts participating in this year’s Hajj.

In a speech, the Crown Prince, on behalf of King Salman, congratulated the attendees as well as Saudi citizens, expatriates, and the Hajj pilgrims on the blessed occasion of Eid Al-Adha. “We implore God Almighty to return this blessed occasion to our nation and to Muslims around the world with continued goodness, prosperity, and peace.

The continued success we witness today in serving pilgrims is the result of the efforts of our blessed state in serving the Two Holy Mosques, the holy sites, and their visitors,” he said while emphasizing that Saudi Arabia will continue exerting efforts to ensure comfort of the pilgrims.

“We commend the continuous efforts made by you, those working across various government sectors, and the male and female volunteers in implementing the state's policies so as to enable pilgrims to complete their rituals in security and tranquility. We ask God Almighty to continue blessing us with security and safety, and to grant us success in continuing to perform this great duty to the fullest extent possible,” he added.

Lt. Gen. Mohammad Al-Bassami, director of Public Security and chairman of the Hajj Security Committee, delivered a speech on behalf of the military sectors participating in the Hajj. He highlighted the government's financial capabilities, human resources, and technical equipment to serve the pilgrims, paying the utmost attention to the Grand Mosque and its visitors.

Al-Bassami said that a total of 213,323 personnel from the security and military sectors are participating in implementing the directives of the leadership to facilitate the performance of the Hajj rituals in safety and security, relying on the help of God and fortified by their professional capabilities, field experience, and knowledge gained from the Saudi Vision, led by the Crown Prince, making serving the pilgrims one of their most important priorities and noble goals.

He pointed out that the successes achieved by the Hajj security plans to date are the result of the directives of King Salman and the unlimited support of the Crown Prince for the continuous improvement of service to the pilgrims. He highlighted the supervision and follow-up of the minister of interior and chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee over the preparation and implementation of Hajj security plans, as well as the integration of roles among all participating entities.

“All plans are built on precise foundations and clear responsibilities, supported by an advanced operations center that plays a significant role in managing the security and service system. The center utilizes advanced technologies and modern surveillance systems, making immediate decisions through data analysis and risk assessment to ensure the security and safety of pilgrims,” he added.