High-tech system to stop illegal pilgrims

BS Post : 78, Date : 09.09.2013, Place : Mumbai, By : Mohammed Chand Shaikh.

Saudi Arabia is determined to make this year’s pilgrimage free of illegal Hajis as senior security officials vowed that they would apply advanced technology to stop individuals trying to sneak into the holy sites without permits.

“We will apply advanced technologies for the first time this year to detect fake Haj permits,” said Maj. Gen. Ayed Al-Harbi, commander of the Passport Department’s Haj force and its assistant director general.

He said the new technologies would help security officers at checkpoints carry out their mission efficiently. “They will also be provided with devices to check fingerprints of illegal pilgrims trying to enter the holy sites,” he said. “Data of violators will be uploaded onto the electronic system to deport them.”

Al-Harbi’s statement follows a stern warning issued by Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal that expats violating Haj rules would be deported immediately and banned for 10 years. The governor also warned Saudi drivers carrying illegal pilgrims, saying they would face maximum punishment. Fake Haj service operators will be arrested and face punitive action.

Al-Harbi said adequate number of officers would be deployed at eight Makkah entrances: Shumaysi Saree, Shumaysi Qadeem, Bahitah, Taneem, Kaakiyah, Al-Karr, Husseiniyah and Akishiyah. Helicopters will be used to monitor illegals using desert paths.

“We’ll also deploy female officers at all entry points to check women pilgrims,” said Maj. Gen. Al-Harbi. “We’ll not allow anybody to cross checkpoints without being checked for IDs and Haj permits,” he said, adding that violators would be denied services such as iqama renewal and transfer of sponsorships.

Hundreds of foreign pilgrims have already arrived for Haj which begins on Oct. 13. This year the number of pilgrims will be less than last year’s as the government has slapped a 20 percent cut on foreign pilgrims and 50 percent cut on domestic pilgrims because of ongoing expansion work at the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

Investors in the housing sector said they would suffer a loss of SR2 billion as they had signed contracts with hotels for accommodation of pilgrims before the decision to slash the number of pilgrims.

“We have to pay the amount to hotel owners in accordance with the contracts or face imprisonment,” one investor said. Sharief Mansour, head of the real estate committee at Makkah Chamber, urged the government to intervene to offset the losses of investors.

JEDDAH: P.K. ABDUL GHAFOUR

Published — Tuesday 10 September 2013