Kyrgyzstan Hajj Quota Raised

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The Saudi Ministry of Hajj has agreed to raise the Hajj quota for the Central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan. With the rise in the Hajj quota, as many as 5000 more Kyrgyz pilgrims will be sent to Hajj this year.  The agreement came following the efforts of Chubak-Hajji Jalilov, Kyrgyzstan’s Mufti, who traveled to Saudi Arabia to negotiate the Hajj quota with Saudi officials.  The added quota will be allocated for the elderly (those above 60 years of age), male relatives of female pilgrims (according to Saudi Hajj regulations, women Hajjis under age 45 are obliged to have a male relative accompanying them in their Hajj pilgrimage), residents of the poor districts, and representatives of national minorities./129