Andhra Pradesh Minorities Welfare Minister Palle Raghunath Reddy received the 13th Batch consisting of 300 Haj pilgrims at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamsabad, Hyderabad last night.
Special Secretary Syed Omer Jaleel, Minorities Welfare Commissioner Shaik Mohammed Iqbal, Telangana State Haj Committee Special Officer Prof. S. A. Shukoor and other senior officials were also present on this occasion.
On the Tarmac of the Haj Terminal, the Minister welcomed the pilgrims back home and congratulated them on accomplishment of their lifetime desire of performing Haj. He enquired about their health and well being and said that the Government of Andhra Pradesh is determined to improve the facilities being extended to the Haj pilgrims from next year onwards. Palle Raghunath Reddy thanked the officials of the Haj Committee, Customs, Immigration, Saudi Airlines, Princess Esra Hospital and others for extending hospitality and necessary facilities to the pilgrims. The Minister requested the pilgrims to pray for peace, progress and development of the nation, the state and the people.
Officials from Saudi Arabian Airlines Mohammed Iftekhar Ahmed and K. Prem Kumar, officials of Customs, Immigration and GMR supervised the arrangements
The batch, received by the Minister, consisted of 133 Pilgrims from Kurnool, 84 from Nellore, 34 from Prakasam, 21 from Visakhapatnam, nine each from Krishna and West Godavari, four from Vijayanagram, three from Srikakulam, two from Adilabad and one from Hyderabad. Cans of Zam Zam water were handed over to the pilgrims at the Haj Terminal itself. With arrival of 350 pilgrims in 14th batch, scheduled to arrive tonight, total number of 4728 pilgrims have returned to Hyderabad. (INN)