Oman to investigate the fake haj operators

Muscat: Oman’s Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs has formed a committee to investigate fake Haj operators in this year’s pilgrimage season.

About 753 pilgrims paid more than 900,000 riyals (Dh8.58 million) to 11 Haj operators only to find out later that they had been provided with fake Haj permits.

Omani pilgrims were stuck at the Batha border post of Saudi Arabia for more than five days as they headed to Makkah to perform Haj.

After the investigation is completed, the results will be submitted to the Ministry.

An official at the ministry told Gulf News that after reviewing the results, the fake Haj operators will be referred to public prosecution for trial.

“Duping pilgrims has become an easy way to make money,” an official at the ministry said.

The official pointed out that the dubious operators have to pay the Omani pilgrims’ money back and will be penalised in accordance with Omani law.

The official also noted that despite awareness campaigns and advertisements in local media about the fake Haj operators, many pilgrims fell into the trap of such operators.

“We listed all the licensed Haj operators on the ministry’s website,” the official said, urging Omanis and residents who want to perform Haj next year to make sure that they go through licensed operators.

All the pilgrims stuck at the Saudi border returned home last September.

Ahmad Al Nasri, one of the pilgrims duped by a Haj operator, told Gulf News that he hoped the public prosecution will impose stiffer penalties on the fake Haj operators.

He added that issuing heftier penalties will be a deterrent and a lesson for all Haj operators.

The Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs said that Saudi authorities did not allow the pilgrims to enter the country as they didn’t have Haj permits, which are a must for all GCC nationals.

The official said that trials of fake operators during the last year were still ongoing in Omani courts.

Thirteen operators were barred from the list this year due to violations.

More than 100 cases were registered against Haj tour operators for violating rules earlier this year. It included bribery, forgery as well as fake tour plans.

From Oman, 11,200 pilgrims, including 10,015 nationals, 580 Arab pilgrims and 605 non-Arab pilgrims performed Haj last year.