P.K. Abdul Ghafour/Arab News

Jeddah, Oct 26: Expatriate workers heading for annual pilgrimage without Haj permits will be deported, Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal declared yesterday.

He said teams of security officers would be deployed in Makkah and other holy sites to look for pilgrims who do not possess Haj permits, adding that such illegal pilgrims would be slapped with deterrent fines.

“They may also be subjected to other punishments, deemed essential by higher authorities, including deportation,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the governor as saying.

Prince Khaled called on Saudi sponsors and employers to instruct their workers intending to perform Haj to follow regulations and get Haj permits.

A concerted awareness campaign would be carried out through the media to enlighten Saudis and expatriates on the importance of obtaining Haj permits and following government instructions to ensure smooth operation of the Haj, the largest gathering of Muslims in the world.

Haj is an Islamic duty that is compulsory only once for Muslims who are physically fit and financially sound. But many Muslims, especially those in the Kingdom, repeat Haj several times causing unnecessary congestion in the holy sites by squatting in public places and walkways.

Thousands of Saudis and expatriates perform Haj every year without obtaining a Haj permit and without contracting with Haj service agents. They sleep in public places, especially in the pedestrian path between Mina and Muzdalifah and around the stoning area of Jamrat in Mina.

“The Kingdom will not allow from this year anybody who violates Haj regulations to enter the holy sites,” the governor said. He urged Saudi and foreign pilgrims to follow the government’s instructions that are aimed at protecting their safety and security. “Abiding by these instructions will have positive impact on the whole Haj operation,” he added.

Prince Khaled, who is chairman of the Central Haj Committee, said government departments and private agencies have expedited preparations for the Haj beginning Dec. 6.

Prince Khaled warned that tough measures would be taken against those who transport illegal pilgrims to the holy sites. “The punishment for such violations will include imposing deterrent fines and impounding and confiscation of vehicles. Drivers will also be asked to pay back the money to the passengers and also pay the fare to transport them in licensed vehicles,” he said. Expatriates committing such violations would be deported.

He said private Haj companies and agencies providing pilgrim services have been instructed to accommodate maximum number of pilgrims at reasonable charges. “They have to transport their pilgrims in licensed vehicles to Makkah and other holy sites.

“This system will help a large number of pilgrims perform Haj without violating regulations,” the prince said, adding that the Ministry of Transport has been instructed to supply adequate number of buses to transport pilgrims.

Last year Saudi authorities deployed more than 7,000 security forces in Mina to ensure the smooth flow of pilgrims and prevent their squatting in public places. According to one senior Haj official, the new law allowing pilgrims to perform Umrah all year-round was one of the main reasons for an increase in overstayers and illegal squatters during Haj.