JEDDAH, 19 February — The Haj affairs department in the Makkah Passports Directorate on Saturday raided two unlicensed Haj service establishments which issued expatriate pilgrims fake contracts for obtaining Haj permits. All the contracts issued through the two offices are invalid and the intending pilgrims are advised to get permits through licensed organizations.
Brig. Gen. Hassan Rishwan, director of the Haj affairs department, said the action stopped the unauthorized activities of the office.
Another office raided by the officials was discovered issuing Haj contracts from Jeddah on behalf of an organization in Qatif in the Eastern Province, Rishwan said. Several passports of expatriate residents were found in the office. An office employee admitted that his office was licensed only for offering general services while the Haj permits were issued on behalf of a licensed company in Qatif.
The owner of other office said he had operated as an agent for another licensed organization for the last 11 years.
Rishwan said these establishments were unauthorized and did not meet the standard to offer Haj services.
Khaled Al-Salimi, director of domestic Haj organizations in the Haj Ministry, said licenses had been issued to 456 organizations for domestic Haj service. The licensed organizations should issue the contracts by themselves without using middlemen or agents.
