THURSDAY MAY 9, 2019 RAMADAN 4, 1440 VOL.12 NO. 4629 QR 2 FINE Fajr: 3:29 am Dhuhr: 11:30 am HIGH : 39°C Asr: 2:58 pm Maghrib: 6:11 pm LOW : 30°C Isha: 7:41 pm MAIN BRANCH LULU HYPER SANAYYA ALKHOR RAMADAN TIMING Sports 16 Doha D-Ring Road Street-17 M & J Building TODAY IFTAR TOMORROW IMSAK MATAR QADEEM MANSOURA ABU HAMOUR BIN OMRAN Samba gets set for Near Ahli Bank Al Meera Petrol Station Al Meera 6:11PM 3:18AM Shanghai alzamanexchange www.alzamanexchange.com 44441448 Get your Box of Joy every day on Ooredoo App DOHA METRO’S RED LINE CONNECTING 13 STATIONS FROM AL WAKRA TO AL QASSAR BEGINS OPERATION DOHA METRO OPENS FOR PUBLIC RAHUL PREETH / HISHAM AL JUNDI AL WAKRA ATAR’S first-ever railway system opened to the public at 8am on Wednesday when Qa state-of-the-art driverless train glided into the Al Wakra Metro Station much to the excitement of waiting commuters. It was a historic moment for the public transportation network in Qa- tar, as the Doha Metro Red Line started partial operations, linking Al Wakra in the South to Al Qassar in the North. Under HH the Amir’s The soft launch, which was origi- directives, today, nally planned for 2020, comes almost some of #DohaMetro a year ahead of schedule. lines started its initial The nearly 35-minute ride from one operation, confirming end to the other covers 13 stations, in- Thirteen out of A single journey in the cluding crucial stops such as Msheireb, Qatar’s continuous Corniche and the Doha Exhibition and the 18 stations standard compartment The total on the 40-km achievements in Convention Centre, which is right next costs QR2 travel time launching its projects to the City Centre Mall. Red Line route Qatar Railways Company (Qatar from Al on time, with great are currently A ride in the Gold Club Qassar to Rail) said the metro would run from operational potential. The Metro 8am to 11pm on weekdays, with a train section costs QR10 Al Wakra will enhance Qatar’s arriving at a station every six minutes. is about The service will be suspended on Fri- public transportation days and Saturdays to carry out the Doha Metro to The service will be 35 system & serve our work required for the opening of run a train every suspended on Fridays minutes major events. more stations and lines. six minutes and Saturdays Eventually, the 13-stop Red Line Rail’s executive teams and board “This is a very fast, reliable and will be extended to five more stations of directors. The preview service is eco-friendly means of public trans- towards the North to cover areas in- a major opportunity to measure the port,” he said, noting that the high- cluding Katara, Qatar University and efficiency of the network and the speed electric trains would go a long Lusail. services we provide. The outputs of way in reducing the number of ve- Two more lines — Green and the preview service are essential for hicles on the road and consequently Gold — are under construction, us, and we will build on them as we their carbon emission. which upon completion in 2020 prepare for the full opening of the “This is exciting,” said Indian will take the total number of sta- network by 2020.” expatriate and home-maker Jyothi tions to 37. There was a palpable air of ex- Kongala. The tickets are dispensed Engineer Abdulla Saif al Sulaiti, citement at the Al Wakra Station as by a machine, which accepts both Chief of Service Delivery at Qatar people eagerly waited to get their card and cash. Commuters can buy Rail, said: “The preview service, first public ride in the train. three types of tickets — gold, stand- which is launched ahead of sched- French Ambassador to Qatar HE ard or family. ule, is a testament of the tremen- Franck Gellet was one among the dous efforts carried out by Qatar commuters on the opening day. Continued on page 2 Ô Qatar welcomes all nationalities, says QA chief NHRC to raise issue of CATHERINE W GICHUKI Speaking at a sohour on emotions at a media event last tians working at Qatar Airways of Egyptians in Qatar. They are DOHA Wednesday, the QA chief said weekend. And my comments and they are prospering and we respected and some of my sen- Saudi obstacles for Qatar his statements about Egyptians about Egyptians were taken will be hospitable to all nation- ior management officials are QATAR is a warm and welcom- during the announcement of out of context literally,” he said, alities,” he said. Egyptians.” pilgrims at UN bodies ing country to all, Qatar Airways visa on arrival programme for adding that Qatar is open to Baker further said, “I Talking about the blockade, Group Chief Executive Officer relatives and friends of Qatar welcome all nationalities, in- know when someone speaks he said, “We are ready for rec- TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK and Qatar National Tourism residents were taken out of cluding those from the block- with emotions, the press very onciliation provided our dig- DOHA Council Secretary- General Ak- context. ading countries. quickly makes a big issue out of nity and sovereignty are always bar al Baker has said. “As a Qatari I spoke with “We have over 750 Egyp- it but we have a large diaspora upheld.” THE National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) has ex- pressed deep concern over the continuing obstacles im- posed by the Saudi Arabia authorities for Qatar’s citizens and residents to exercise their right to perform religious rites for the third season in a row since the beginning of the Ramadan cannon fire at Souq Waqif draws big crowd blockade imposed on Doha in June 2017. The NHRC said it will soon raise the issue of preventing Qatar’s citizens and TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK help one feel the atmosphere or watch to know Iftar time, the residents from performing Hajj and Umrah at the commit- DOHA of Ramadan. tradition still remains popular. tees and constitutional meetings of UNESCO. Ali Ahmed, a visitor, said He said many families are The NHRC stated this in a communication to President THERE was an air of excite- those who attend the cannon fir- keen to visit Souq Waqif to wit- of the Human Rights Council at its thirteenth session, to ment and curiosity as dozens ing on a daily basis are the ones ness the launch of the Rama- UN United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights of Qatari and resident fami- who live close to the Souq Wa- dan cannon. Michelle Bachelet, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Reli- lies gather daily in the eastern qif. Firing of the Ramadan can- He said those who wit- gion and Belief in the United Nations, HE Ahmed Shahid, square stand of the Souq Wa- non, a tradition practiced in Qa- ness the cannon fire are keen and Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, out- qif to witness the traditional tar and other parts of the Islamic to document the moments by side the European Union. The NHRC called for measures Ramadan cannon firing to an- world, evokes memories of the taking commemorative pho- to be taken to ensure that Muslims in Qatar — whether citi- nounce the breaking of fast. past among the older generation tographs with the cannon and zens or residents - can perform Umrah during Ramadan Witnessing the Ramadan while it arises curiosity and ex- the armed forces personnel and Hajj during the season (1440). cannon firing even once dur- citement among youngsters. who manage it. ing the Holy Month of Rama- Introduced at a time when Continued on page 3 Ô A Ramadan cannon fire at Souq Waqif. dan is one of the things that most people didn’t own a clock Continued on page 2 Ô 02 Thursday, May 9, 2019 Contact US: Qatar Tribune I EDITORIAL I Phone: 40002222 I ADMINISTRATION & MARKETING I Phone: 40002155, 40002122, Fax: 40002235 P.O. Box: 23493, Doha. New draft News Cabinet hails HH the Amir’s in brief law will not Amir exchanges Ramadan greetings directive to grant $480mn cancel Zakat With Malaysian prime minister THE Amir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani Fund: Awqaf exchanged greetings with Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr Ma- QNA hathir Mohamad on the advent of the Holy Month of Rama- to support Palestinians DOHA dan in a telephone conversation on Wednesday. (QNA) THE Ministry of Awqaf and Amir congratulates Cabinet approves amendment to entry, exit and residence of expatriates law Islamic Affairs clarified on Macedonian president QNA fairs and referred it to the Shura try’ mentioned in the Articles 11, Decision No (73) of 2014 estab- Wednesday that the draft law DOHA Council. 18, 19 and 21 of Decree Law No lishing the Standing Committee regulating the receipt and THE Amir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani The draft law includes the (15) of 2007 referred to herein. for Monitoring Fuel Filling and disbursement of Zakat Fund sent on Wednesday a cable of congratulations to the Presi- THE Cabinet at its weekly meet- amendment of some provisions The Cabinet later approved Storage Stations. does not include cancellation dent of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski on his election ing chaired by Prime Minister of Law No (8) of 2004 on the a draft law amending some pro- The Cabinet then reviewed of the fund. as president of the country, wishing him and Macedonian HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser protection of marine oil and gas visions of Law No (21) of 2015 the annual report of the National The clarification was in re- people further progress and prosperity.