JEDDAH, 2 July 2005 — The Haj Ministry has been urged to review the Umrah regulations and extend necessary support to Umrah service companies to help them overcome their difficulties.
A report, which was prepared after conducting a study on the Umrah system, also demanded tougher measures to prevent pilgrims from overstaying.
The ministry has announced that the number of overstaying Umrah pilgrims from a country would be deducted from the quota of its Haj pilgrims, and the report wanted quick implementation of the proposal.
The report, which was carried by Okaz, found that apart from Umrah companies, foreign travel agencies were also responsible for the problem, adding Umrah companies alone should not be penalized.
It said that travel agents in some Asian and African countries were attracting prospective pilgrims by telling them that there are good job opportunities in the Kingdom.
In the past years some 400,000 Umrah pilgrims stayed behind to perform Haj. This year some 18,000 have so far stayed back during the last two months and the number is expected to reach 100,000 by the time of Haj, the report said and urged the ministry to act.
The report said that many pilgrims were squatting on the courtyards of the two holy mosques because they were provided accommodation far away from the mosques and not given transport facilities by Umrah companies.
The report urged the ministry to take necessary corrective steps to prevent the squatting of pilgrims at Jeddah Islamic Port and King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah as a result of the delay in the arrival of ships and flights. Umrah companies and their foreign agents must be held responsible for such delays.
The report emphasized the need for enacting a bylaw to regulate the relationship between Al-Tasheel Al-Haditha, the company in charge of receiving Umrah pilgrims, and Umrah service firms. It said Al-Tasheel was receiving SR30 million annually for its services.
“From our meetings with representatives of Umrah companies we have learned that they are not happy with the ministry’s dealings with them,” the report said and urged the ministry to listen to their problems and difficulties and take necessary action.
The report also pointed out that the ministry was deducting SR85 from the revenues of Umrah firms for each visa and called for a review of the matter.
A special department must be set up at the ministry to look into the complaints of Umrah pilgrims and companies, the report said.
The report also urged an emergency meeting with all Umrah firms to hear their viewpoints and discuss their complaints.
A new department must be set up at the ministry for Umrah affairs to follow up on the performance of Umrah firms and take action against errant companies.
It also urged a meeting of all relevant departments, especially the Passport Department, to find a solution to the overstaying problem. Foreign embassies must also be contacted to play their part to solve the problem, it added.
