Ministry of Islamic Affairs has announced plans to address violations by groups facilitating Umrah pilgrimages. This comes after an incident involving 23 pilgrims stranded in Makkah due to the misuse of funds by Al-Hijra Travel and Tours.

The issue came to light in December when the affected pilgrims discovered their payments had been diverted. The Ministry stepped in to resolve the matter, delegating the evacuation of the stranded individuals to the Hajj Corporation.

To prevent similar incidents, the Ministry has imposed strict measures against Al-Hijra Travel and Tours. These include:

  • Revoking their permission to organise Umrah trips.
  • Imposing a fine of MVR 100,000.
  • Prohibiting Al-Hijra and any associated companies from operating Umrah services.
  • Recovering all expenses incurred by the Ministry in assisting the stranded pilgrims.

Additionally, the Ministry revealed that other groups had also violated regulations. Action will be taken against these groups in the coming week.

The affected pilgrims were relocated to a hotel in Mecca before being flown back to the Maldives via Qatar Airways. The flight is scheduled to arrive at 0810hrs on Saturday.

The Ministry assured the public that all administrative and legal procedures necessary to enforce these measures would be carried out without delay. The government’s swift response underscores its commitment to ensuring safe and trustworthy services for pilgrims.