Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed announced tonight that the people who went for Umrah last December under Al-Hijra Travels and Tours and were stranded, unable to return to the Maldives, will be brought back this coming Saturday.

The issue of 23 people stranded in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, who went for Umrah under the care of Al-Hijra Group, surfaced yesterday. They were stranded because Al-Hijra Group used the money paid for the Umrah pilgrimage for other purposes, leaving them unable to purchase return tickets. The Islamic Ministry stated that the company has admitted to this.

As soon as the issue came to the attention of the Islamic Ministry, the task of bringing back the stranded individuals was assigned to the Hajj Corporation.

In a message sent to the media today, Shaheem said that the stranded Umrah pilgrims have now been moved to the hotel where other Umrah pilgrims of the Hajj Corporation are staying. He also stated that they will be brought back to the Maldives on Qatar Airways at 8:10 AM on Saturday morning.

Regarding this issue, the Islamic Ministry has taken measures against Al-Hijra Group and has submitted the case to the police for legal action. The Ministry also stated that they will proceed with the necessary administrative and legal work to implement these measures without delay.