Maliki to arrive in Karbala, meet residents

KARBALA / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will arrive in Karbala to meet with local residents, the province’s governor said on Monday. “Maliki will arrive this noon in Karbala province and will meet with the local residents of al-Hindiya city (20 km east of Karbala city),” Aqil al-Khazaali told IraqiNews.com news agency. A few days ago, Maliki visited Basra, Diwaniya and Muthanna, and met with chieftains and notables in the provinces, urging all residents to participate in the upcoming provincial council elections, scheduled to take place on January 31. Karbala, with an estimated population of 572,300 people in 2003, is the capital of the province and is considered to be one of Shiite Muslims’ holiest cities. The city, 110 km south of Baghdad, is one of Iraq’s wealthiest, profiting both from religious visitors and agricultural produce, especially dates. SS (P) 1