At a press conference held at the Government Media and Information Center, officials from the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs presented their annual performance report.
According to ministry officials, the past year saw significant progress in various areas, including the supervision of Quranic interpretation and translation programs across several provinces and 260 military centers.
In terms of Hajj operations, officials reported that comprehensive measures were implemented to facilitate the dispatch of 30,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. This included the deployment of 652 qualified scholars to serve as instructors.
In addition, the ministry undertook necessary measures for the construction of 13 mosques within customs offices and 25 mosques in provincial revenue departments. Continuous oversight was maintained on the construction of a mosque at the Court of Appeals in Logar province, as well as on projects involving the Nabawi Mosque and Eidgah Mosque in Badakhshan province, three mosques in Faryab province, and a Hajj complex in Balkh province.
Capacity-building initiatives were also prioritized, with the organization of four seminars for mosque imams in both central and provincial areas. Furthermore, the ministry facilitated the equipping of 75 mosques across 14 provinces and the construction of five additional mosques for various government entities, including the Ministry of Transport, Atomic Energy Agency, Afghanistan National Standards Authority, Samangan Provincial Office, and Farah Provincial Court.
Regarding Umrah and pilgrimage services, the ministry signed MoUs with 132 private companies and issued 42 permits. Essential arrangements were made to ensure the dispatch of 44,307 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, with continuous monitoring of the activities of 40 contracted companies.
The ministry also issued 353 directives (fatwas) in response to various inquiries and provided expert reviews on 42 occasions concerning the printing accuracy of Quran, interpretation, books, and pamphlets. Additionally, seven scholarly works were authored and published during the year.
In the area of Quranic excellence, national competitions in Quran memorization, and recitation, were held, aimed at selecting top reciters for international competitions. As a result, three reciters and one judge were sent to participate in the 40th International Quran Competition in Iran, while two reciters were selected to compete in the 9th International Quran Competition in Turkey.
The ministry further reported that 8,508 students graduated from various Islamic studies programs, while 80 individuals completed the first phase of imam training, and 15 graduated from the Higher Institute of Quranic Recitation.
Moreover, 127 jeribs of land across the provinces of Ghor, Kabul, Sar-e-Pul, Kunduz, Jawzjan, Maidan Wardak, and Laghman were registered for the construction of mosques, madrassas, and cemeteries. An additional 18 jeribs of land along the Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Zabul, and Kandahar highways were identified for mosque construction.
In the international sphere, the ministry’s leadership actively participated in the 27th International Islamic Unity Conference in the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as the Islamic Scholars’ Consultative Conference in Turkey. Furthermore, the ministry’s officials conducted visits to Uzbekistan and as well as Saudi Arabia to finalize contracts for pilgrim accommodations in Mecca, Medina, and the sacred sites of Mina and Arafat.