ID :
43062
Thu, 01/29/2009 - 15:58
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/43062
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Indians going for Haj will need normal passports now
New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) Indians undertaking Haj from this
year would require normal passports as special documents
issued for the annual pilgrimage will no longer be valid.
Saudi Arabia has informed India that from this year,
visas for Haj pilgrims will be issued only on normal
"international" passports and not on the Haj pilgrim "passes"
as has been the practice till last year.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has communicated
this to the Haj Committee of India which conducts the
pilgrimage undertaken by over a lakh Indian devotees every
year.
"Authorities concerned in Saudi Arabia have informed that
with effect from the next year 1430 Hijri (2009), the arrival
of Haj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia will be through international
passports only and therefore, from next year, Haj visas will
not be issued on Haj pilgrim passes as it has been the
practice in the previous years," said the letter of Saudi
Embassy sent to MEA in November last year.
On the basis of the communication from the Saudi Embassy,
the MEA has asked the Haj Committee of India to keep this
requirement in view while working out the action plans for Haj
2009 onwards.
It asked the Haj Committee to inform Haj Committees of
states about it.
The Haj Committee wants postponement of the decision by
up to two years as it feels that many devotees, particularly
in rural areas, would be unable to undertake the pilgrimage
because they would not be possessing passports.
The Haj Committee held two meetings with State Committees
in the recent past and decided to approach the central
government as also the Saudi government with a request for
deferring the decision.
A delegation of the Committee, along with a senior
official of the MEA, would travel to Riyadh on February 8 to
appeal for postponement.
"If this decision is implemented now, many people,
especially those living in villages, will not be able to
undertake Haj because they don't have passports. Making
passport takes some time and that is why we want a
postponement of the decision," the Haj Committee CEO Mohammed
Owais told PTI.
In the meanwhile, he said anyone planning to go for Haj
should be mentally prepared that he or she will require a
passport as per the latest Saudi order. PTI AKK
PMR
NNNN
year would require normal passports as special documents
issued for the annual pilgrimage will no longer be valid.
Saudi Arabia has informed India that from this year,
visas for Haj pilgrims will be issued only on normal
"international" passports and not on the Haj pilgrim "passes"
as has been the practice till last year.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has communicated
this to the Haj Committee of India which conducts the
pilgrimage undertaken by over a lakh Indian devotees every
year.
"Authorities concerned in Saudi Arabia have informed that
with effect from the next year 1430 Hijri (2009), the arrival
of Haj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia will be through international
passports only and therefore, from next year, Haj visas will
not be issued on Haj pilgrim passes as it has been the
practice in the previous years," said the letter of Saudi
Embassy sent to MEA in November last year.
On the basis of the communication from the Saudi Embassy,
the MEA has asked the Haj Committee of India to keep this
requirement in view while working out the action plans for Haj
2009 onwards.
It asked the Haj Committee to inform Haj Committees of
states about it.
The Haj Committee wants postponement of the decision by
up to two years as it feels that many devotees, particularly
in rural areas, would be unable to undertake the pilgrimage
because they would not be possessing passports.
The Haj Committee held two meetings with State Committees
in the recent past and decided to approach the central
government as also the Saudi government with a request for
deferring the decision.
A delegation of the Committee, along with a senior
official of the MEA, would travel to Riyadh on February 8 to
appeal for postponement.
"If this decision is implemented now, many people,
especially those living in villages, will not be able to
undertake Haj because they don't have passports. Making
passport takes some time and that is why we want a
postponement of the decision," the Haj Committee CEO Mohammed
Owais told PTI.
In the meanwhile, he said anyone planning to go for Haj
should be mentally prepared that he or she will require a
passport as per the latest Saudi order. PTI AKK
PMR
NNNN
