Hatim Al-Masoudi

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

MAKKAH — The Ministry of Haj is investigating the recently dissolved board of directors of the Tawafa Establishment for South Asian Pilgrims in connection with a series of violations committed during the Haj season.



The board was dissolved on the orders of Minister of Haj Bandar Hajjar.

Twelve mutawwifs (pilgrim guides) are being investigated.



Meanwhile, the ministry has suspended four heads of field service offices in connection with allegations that they tried to sell off plots of land meant for pilgrims’ camps in the holy sites, among others.



Ministry sources said special committees formed by the Ministry of Haj have started their investigations into the allegations.



The minister is personally supervising the deliberations of these committees, which have summoned the chairman, two deputy chairmen and members of the Tawafa Establishment for Mutawwifs of South Asian Pilgrims’ board of directors.



The committees have started collecting evidence against the four heads of the field service offices.



The areas allocated for South Asian pilgrims through these four offices had decreased this year, according to leaked reports from field supervision and monitoring committees to the minister of Haj.



The reports added this was because some of the land designated for these pilgrims had been sold off.



In a statement to Okaz/Saudi Gazette, Hatim Qadi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Haj, said: “The investigations have actually started, but they don’t necessarily mean that those involved are guilty.



“This is the normal procedure after observations are made and such violations are detected.”