 "A father and a son circle the Kaaba at Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, Sept 22, 2015 Picture by PTI")
Saudi health officials overseeing the haj pilgrimage later this week say they are prepared to handle any outbreak of disease or a stampede like the one that killed hundreds of worshippers two years ago.
Saudi Arabia said on Monday that over 1.735 million pilgrims have arrived from abroad for the ritual, a once-in-a-lifetime religious duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford the journey.
The world’s largest annual gathering of Muslims has in the past seen numerous deadly stampedes, fires and riots, with authorities having only limited ability to control the masses.
Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on its guardianship of Islam’s holiest
