JEDDAH, 4 March 2002 — Interior Minister Prince Naif, who is also the chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, has expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of some pilgrim establishments, saying that some of them had used pilgrims as laborers to work for them in the holy sites.
Speaking from his office in Jeddah where he received Minister of Haj Iyad Madani, senior Haj Ministry officials and heads of tawafa organizations and transport companies, Prince Naif issued a stern warning to the pilgrims against overstaying in the country.
Prince Naif said he would not tolerate attempts by anyone to use Haj as a pretext to enter the Kingdom and then engage in illegal activities. He stressed that only able-bodied Muslims with the financial means need to make the pilgrimage.
“I will not accept any single pilgrim staying back in the Kingdom after performing his or her religious duty. I will not tolerate anyone using the Haj as a means to enter the country and then overstay after the expiry of their visas,” the interior minister said.
Prince Naif said erring service establishments have been given exemplary punishment. “Some companies and establishments have brought in pilgrims with ulterior motives and employed them in certain activities during the Haj. Those companies and establishments have received the punishment they deserve,” the minister told the meeting.
He was referring to employment of pilgrims by some real estate owners and others engaged in food processing and supplies.
The minister stressed the need for tawafa organizations serving pilgrims coming from outside the Kingdom as well as those from within the country to fully honor their contractual obligations and commitments.
Over two million people from all over the world performed Haj which ended last week in what was considered as one of the safest pilgrimage seasons in recent years.
A fleet of more than 11,300 buses has been deployed for transporting the pilgrims within the holy sites.
Since last Monday, over 330,000 pilgrims — out of 1.3 million from more than 170 countries — have already left the country.
“Rest assured that we will stand by you in the event of any problem. We will be forthcoming and will work together to solve these problems. But at the same time we will be very clear and determined in the face of any shortcomings. We are ready to listen (to complaints) from our citizens, the pilgrims and from foreign countries represented by their Haj missions.”
He said he hoped all the departments of the Ministry of Interior have done their job in serving the pilgrims in the most appropriate manner.
He said officials have a responsibility before the Almighty Allah and before the leadership which entrusted them with the duty of serving the pilgrims as well as before the Muslim public and Saudi citizens to discharge this duty in the best manner possible.
“I find no excuse for any of us if we failed to act honestly in all that is required of us. We should win the approval and satisfaction of others by serving them as best as humanly possible. Whenever we combine our efforts and feel that we are serving one cause, I am confident that all our problems would be overcome.”
Madani said starting next year, all Haj accommodations must have beds, instead of carpets and mattresses, for the use of pilgrims. This will be part of a wider plan to improve housing facilities for the pilgrims.
