RIYADH, 16 January 2006 — While the pilgrims in Makkah are mourning the loss of their near and dear ones in last week’s Jamrat tragedy, 500 Indian and Pakistani expatriates from Riyadh’s Al-Wuzarat district were in a state of shock yesterday for a different reason.
Their agent, Ansarlil Hujjaj, decamped with cash collectively worth over SR800,000, leaving thousands stranded after promising them that they would be issued a valid Haj permit. They were also promised guides, food and accommodation and round-trip transportation.
But it all turned out to be a hoax and the hapless victims are cooling their heels in hopes of tracing the culprits and recovering their hard-earned money.
Arab News tried to contact the agent’s representatives — Abu Obaidullah, Syed Mukarram and Nasser Yousuf — on the numbers listed in the pamphlets. But it was of no avail.
Ghous Arsalan, whose brother was among the victims, told Arab News that it all started when the so-called Haj agents began circulating leaflets promising a comprehensive Haj package at an all-inclusive cost of SR1,850-SR1,500 for Haj and SR350 for the sheep.
Lured by their promise, 500 Indian and Pakistani expatriates signed up for the Haj caravan. The pilgrims were issued Haj permits signed in the name of a princess rather than the Passport Department. They were also promised that trained guides would provide them expert guidance to help them perform the Haj rituals. Armed with this assurance, they left in 10 buses for Madinah on the first leg of their journey chanting “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik.”
Arsalan said the trouble began when the buses were halted at a checkpoint en route to Madinah. The security personnel found that the papers were not in order and thus prevented the caravan from moving forward. Acting on the spur of the moment, the drivers of the coaches collected SR20 to SR25 from each passenger and paid the amount at the checkpoint before they were allowed to proceed.
At this stage, said Arsalan, the buses changed course and took a different route to go to Makkah instead of Madinah. While those who could afford to continue performed Haj, the rest returned to Riyadh to rue the loss of their money and peace of mind.
Asked if they would be complaining to the Directorate General of Passports at the Interior Ministry, he said they are reluctant to do so since they do not have any valid documents and were in any case trying to cut corners to accomplish their goal.
With nothing except the fake papers in their possession, the group has been left in the lurch. The makeshift office at Garden Tea Point in the Wuzarat district (aka Hara) area has disappeared. The mobile numbers are not responding. And the three representatives of the agent — one working in a hardware company and two others in an international school — cannot be traced.
Pilgrims without valid Haj permits were a major factor in swelling the pilgrim traffic and the resulting stampede that left at least 363 dead. It leaves many question marks unanswered for the next Haj.
