Ministry of Islamic Affairs on Monday granted permission to 25 companies to send pilgrims on the Islamic pilgrimage of Umrah to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The ministry stated that permission was granted to the companies in accordance with the new policies.
The companies are:
1) Maldives Hajj Corporation
2) Yalamlam Pvt Ltd
3) Musaafireen Pvt Ltd
4) Kamana Al-Hajj Wal Umrah
5) Thaiseeru Travels and Trade Pvt Ltd
6) Al-Manasik Pvt Ltd
7) Acro Pvt Ltd
8) Thazkiya Pvt Ltd
9) Nawa Hajj Umrah Pvt Ltd
10) Travel Hajj and Umrah
11) Al-Hijra Travel and Tours Pvt Ltd
12) ZAEE GROUP Pvt Ltd
13) Sisilfaru Hajj and Umrah Group Pvt Ltd
14) Askoi Travel Service Pvt Ltd
15) Askoi Investment Pvt Ltd
16) Al-Haramain Hajj and Umrah Company Pvt Ltd
17) Al Ain Travel and Tours Pvt Ltd
18) Zamzam Hajj and Umrah Travel Pvt Ltd
19) Hijaz Pvt Ltd.
20) Dharuma Lil Hajji Wal Umrahthi Pvt Ltd
21) Mina Hajj Umrah Pvt Ltd
22) Lamina Pvt Ltd
23) Tawakul Pvt Ltd
24) Qibla Hajj and Umrah Pvt Ltd
25) Al-Safa Pvt Ltd
The ministry decided to implement policies to protect pilgrims and the companies sending them due to evident issues arising in the pilgrimage process.
A case of forged tickets being sold to Askoi Hajj and Umrah Group were exposed in November 2018, and resulted in the arrest of an employee and the owner of D.B Travels.
Previously, a case arose in 2012 where 175 people could not make the pilgrimage through a Hajj group, resulting in MVR 12 million in damages. Moreover, 125 people faced the same problem when attempting to make the pilgrimage through the Al-Fathuhu Hajj Group in 2014.
According to the new policy, the pilgrim and the facilitating group would need to sign an agreement contract.
It is mandatory for the agreement contract to contain the sum total price of the pilgrimage and the services that would be rendered.
Furthermore, the contract must state that the group must contain a person from the facilitating company that would take responsibility over the pilgrims in the group.