DUSHANBE, November 5, 2010, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan’s private air carrier, Somon Air, will operate four other flights to Sauid Arabia until the end of this week to carry the remaining 800 Tajik Hajjis to the holy places, according to the Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA) under the Government of Tajikistan.
We will recall that Tajik air carriers, Tajik Air and Somon Air, have carried Tajik pilgrims to Saudi Arabia this year. They were to carry 2,750 Hajjis to Jeddah and the same number of pilgrims to Medina.
In the meantime, Tajik Air already completed its part of the pilgrim carriage operation. Tajik national air carrier operated the last flight to Saudi Arabia on November 1. Tajik Air operated ten flights to Saudi Arabia and carried 2,100 Tajik pilgrims to the holy places from October 25 to November 1, the source at Tajik Air said.
Saudi authorities have allocated a quota of 5,500 hajjis to Tajikistan this year, which is 500 more than last year. This year, Tajik pilgrims paid 3,191 U.S. dollars (this amount includes travel expenses, board and lodging, and purchase of animal for sacrificing during the Hajj), which is 151 U.S. dollars less than last year. This year, CRA has introduced age restrictions on those who want to perform the Hajj. Only citizens aged 18 to 80 will be able to perform the Hajj.
The Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. It is currently the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so.
