The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has temporarily suspended the Umrah permit of Al-Abraar Group after the company cancelled a trip involving 110 pilgrims without a valid reason, according to a preliminary investigation.
In a statement, the ministry said it began investigating after receiving complaints about the last minute cancellation of the trip, which had been scheduled to depart last night.
So far, the ministry’s probe has found that the trip was cancelled without a justifiable reason.
“For this reason, the permit issued to the company to take people to Umrah from the Maldives has been temporarily suspended and the company has been informed,” the statement said.
The ministry said the matter will be investigated further and appropriate action will be taken against the company.
Authorities are also exploring ways to assist those who were unable to travel for Umrah due to the cancellation.
Maldives Hajj Corporation Managing Director Mohamed Shakeel said the corporation has already arranged places for 28 pilgrims who were unable to depart under the Abraar Group.
Abraar said the trip was cancelled due to uncertainty caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the unclear situation expected later this month.
However, some pilgrims preparing to travel with the group alleged that payments for permits, visas and hotel bookings had not been made.
The Umrah journey was scheduled to begin on Tuesday and conclude on the 26th of this month.
