Breaking News !!! 22 expats face deportation for violating Haj regulations The Makkah governorate has begun imposing penalties on violators of pilgrimage regulations. Immigration authorities caught 22 expats at Al-Bhitah in Taif for trying to enter Makkah to perform Haj without a legal permit. They were referred to the Department of Expats with their families for deportation and will not be allowed to enter the Kingdom for a period of ten years. Hatem Qadi, undersecretary and official spokesman at the Ministry of Haj, said that the ministry is working in close coordination with both the Makkah governorate and the general passport administration to ensure that no one performs Haj without a permit. The Ministry has authorized 199 Haj companies to issue Haj permits for pilgrims from inside the Kingdom to perform Haj this year in accordance with the requirements of the Directorate General of Passports and the instructions of the Makkah governorate, he said. These measures will be seriously implemented, as they represent the campaign launched by the governorate last year to respect Haj as a religious and civilized event under the slogan “No Pilgrimage without a Permit.” Qadi warned pilgrims inside the Kingdom against joining fake pilgrimage companies, which usually intensify their efforts to attract pilgrims in the last few days leading up to Haj. These groups, he said, circumvent the system by providing individuals with forged permits. The ministry will ban such companies from operating for a period of one year, he added. More than 200,000 pilgrims have already arrived in the Kingdom from abroad to perform Haj this year. The Assistant Director General of Passports, Maj. Gen. Ayed Al-Harbi, confirmed that the Immigration Department has set up eight centers at Al-Shemaysi, Al-Sareea, Al Shemaysi and Al-Bhitah in Taif, Al-Kar, Al-Tanaaem, Al-Kaakih, Al-Husseiniya and Al-Aekichyah to catch any offenders trying to enter without authorized Haj permits. Violators will be stopped and will have their fingerprints taken. Expatriate violators will subsequently be banned from entering the Kingdom for a period of ten years, while citizens will face imprisonment for one year. Expat drivers found to be in violation of the rules will be referred to authorities, said Qadi. If the driver is a Saudi citizen, the vehicle will be impounded and the driver will be imprisoned and required to pay a fine of SR10,000. Qadi warned citizens and residents not to perform Haj without authorization. arabnews/news/465026
Posted on: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 11:46:02 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015