Saudi Arabia temporarily prevents pilgrims from Syria, Pakistan
Saudi Arabia-Regional, Local, 7/9/2002

The Saudi daily al-Watan said Monday that the ministry of pilgrims ( al- Haj) prevented "performers of the minor al-Haj rituals" (Omra) from Syria and Pakistan to arrive in Saudi Arabia temporarily because of the trade in the "Omra" visas.

According to the paper, the Saudi ministry of al-Haj took this decision because of the information talking about trading in Omra visas. A matter which resulted in the delay of a large number of Omra performers from traveling back home after the end of time set for them to perform the Omra rituals.

The ministry explained that the pilgrims arrive in the Kingdom by having false visas and face financial problems that prevent their departure from Saudi Arabia.

The ministry set a precondition that all necessary services will be defined within the al-Omra program, and that the performers of al-Omra ritual will have to abide by paying their costs from their countries of origin, besides specifying their names and the expected dates of their arrival and hotels where will they stay in Mecca, al-Madina and Jeddah.

Previous Stories:
  Nine new death cases among Moroccan pilgrims, official   (3/8/2002)
  Some 8 pilgrims died in a coach crash upon returning back to Kuwait   (3/2/2002)
  Prince Moulay Rachid performs Omra   (3/1/2002)

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