MAKKAH — The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that it has stopped issuing permits for performing prayers at the Grand Mosque effective from Friday, July 16. This is part of the phase of the preparations to receive pilgrims at the Grand Mosque for this year’s Hajj season. Also, the ministry has completed all the preparations and arrangements to serve as many as 60,000 domestic pilgrims who hail from 150 nations with deploying a total of 25,000 staffers to serve them. Commander of the Hajj and Umrah Special Security Forces Maj. Gen. Muhammad Al-Bassami said that the Central Haram Area in Makkah has been actually emptied except for those pilgrims who have permits. As of Friday, the entry will be only for those who have a valid Hajj permit, and all health, security and organizational controls have been put in place in the holy city, he said. The ministry has completed all its preparations to receive the pilgrims from various regions of the Kingdom, and that is in coordination with all the licensed service providers. The ministry has recruited more than 25,000 officials, supervisors and workers from the ministry’s staff as well as that of the service providers, to implement the ministry’s exceptional plan for the Hajj season and to ensure the provision of the best and quality services for the pilgrims. The ministry is keen on guiding and grouping pilgrims during the entire Hajj journey, at a rate of 20 pilgrims in a unit, with allotting specific time and program for each group. The ministry announced that all the processes of the Hajj registration exercise have been completed with a total of 60,000 pilgrims from citizens and residents within the Kingdom qualifying for the annual rituals. Hajj permits have been issued to them after fulfilling the health and regulatory requirements and standards for this year’s Hajj, which will begin on July 18, the ministry added.