Government | Saturday 23 May, 2015 9:35 am |

Minister of Haj Badar Hajjar said his ministry has completed preparations to receive Umrah pilgrims during the holy month of Ramadan.

He said that the ongoing largest ever expansion of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah will increase the capacity of the holy mosques tremendously. Hajjar said he expects an increase in the number of Haj pilgrims to five million within the coming five years.

“The number of Umrah pilgrims will reach around 30 million,” he said. The minister made the remarks while meeting officials of the Madinah Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Thursday.