Al Abrar’s license suspended over lastminute cancellation of umrah tour

The Islamic Ministry has temporarily suspended the license issued to Al Abrar after the lastminute cancellation of an umrah tour organized by the travel company affected over 100 pilgrims.

The 110 pilgrims, who paid around MVR 45,000 to Al Abrar to embark on umrah pilgrimage the last 15 days of Ramadan, were supposed to fly out to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday night, but had their trip cancelled at the last minute.

The incident sparked an investigation by both the police and the Islamic Ministry.

In a statement on Wednesday night, the Islamic Ministry said it found Al Abrar cancelled the trip without a valid reason, and in violation of the policy on organizing umrah pilgrimages.

The ministry said it has therefore decided to temporarily suspend the license issued to Al Abrar to organize umrah pilgrimages.

The ministry also warned that it will be taking further action against the group as the investigation progresses.

We are working on providing assistance to affected pilgrims, added the ministry.

Total 110 pilgrims under the charge of Al Abrar were scheduled to take a flight to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday night. The pilgrims were initially instructed to bring their luggage to the airport between 10:00 am and 11:00 am, but were later asked to bring them again closer to departure time.

They were then summoned for an emergency meeting at 2:00 pm, and told that the trip had been cancelled.

Organizers reportedly cited the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as the reason for the cancellation.

A young man who paid to send his parents on umrah told Sun that the group began refunding the pilgrims on Tuesday night. According to the source, the group has refunded the money after deducting the MVR 15,000 flight ticket cost, but assures the pilgrims that they will also refund the ticket cost soon.

The Maldives Hajj Corporation stepped in to fly out 28 of the affected pilgrims to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday morning. The corporation said that while more affected pilgrims have reached out asking for assistance, 28 pilgrims was the maximum they could accommodate at this time, as the corporation already has close to 600 pilgrims under their charge.

Meanwhile, Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed said on Wednesday night that some 150 pilgrims were unable to fly out for umrah for various reasons and had asked the government for assistance. He said that the Islamic Ministry is working with the national carrier Maldivian, and the Hajj Corporation to find a way to assist the pilgrims.