Kathmandu, July 18
The government of Nepal on Thursday bid farewell to the first of its teams to go on the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca this year.
Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa and Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali among other officials saw them off at the Tribhuvan International Airport on Thursday morning.
Ambassadors of Saudi Arabia and UAE to Nepal were also present on the occasion.
On the occasion, Minister Thapa said the government was committed to protecting and promoting all religious groups in the country.
He also informed that the government increased the number of Hajj pilgrims to 1,500 this year. It was just 1,200 last year.
