http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article190999.ece
Duped Hajis suffer in Mina Police try to control angry pilgrims from Pakistan. (AN photo by Syed Faisal Ali) By SYED FAISAL ALI | ARAB NEWS Published: Nov 14, 2010 23:58 Updated: Nov 15, 2010 00:43 MINA: Hundreds of agitated Pakistani pilgrims have complained about a lack of basic amenities in their camps in Mina on the first day of Haj. Over 1,500 pilgrims shouted slogans against the Pakistani mission outside Camps 52 and 53 and the situation was brought under control only after the intervention of local Saudi authorities. Over 800 pilgrims from Qatar, including 250 women, were also left high and dry with no accommodation to stay in Mina. These pilgrims were in a state of shock to learn that their tour operator had made no arrangement for them in the tent city. Pakistani pilgrims complained that Camps 52 and 53 were not proper camps but rather temporary ones erected using pipes and tarpaulin with no air conditioners or toilets. "It was agreed upon and a contract was signed between a local tawafa establishment and the government of Pakistan that all Pakistanis will stay in the Old Mina city, but we have been put at the edge of Muzdalifah with no facilities," said pilgrim Qaiser Zaman. Another pilgrim, Zulqarnain Ahmad, said, "As per our package and arrangement with the mutawwif we were promised breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dry fruits, but we did not get anything. Furthermore there are neither bedsheets nor pillows in our camps. And above all there is no water, which has made the situation worse, compelling us to come out and protest." Pakistan's Acting Director for Pilgrims Welfare Faroogh Aftab Zaidi confirmed the pilgrims' claims, but added that they were trying to sort out the issues. "Director General of Haj Sultan Shah and Ambassador Omar Khan Ali Sherzai discussed the matter with the Ministry of Haj and sought its intervention to resolve (the problem)," said Zaidi. "I'm also following up the issue with local officials at my level." A similar situation was witnessed at another corner of Mina where some pilgrims from Qatar were sitting and resting on the pavements. "We all embarked on the pilgrimage on a very happy note with religious fervor and everything was planned," said a member of this group, Abdul Majeed Khan. "We reached Madinah on Nov. 6, offered prayers at the Prophet's Mosque and were provided good hotels by our tour operator, Doha Group for Haj and Umrah. But our ordeal started last night when we were informed that there was no camp for us in Mina." said one of the pilgrims, Abdul Majeed Khan. "We were told by the tour operator that we will be taken to Arafat directly from Makkah, but we lodged our protest. After strong resentment from the pilgrims we were brought to the tent city today," said Siddique Kayani, another pilgrim from the Qatari group. But when they arrived in Mina on their first leg of the pilgrimage they learned there was room for only 300 to 400 people. "So in one of the camps, all 250 women were accommodated. In another camp, we have put around 200 elderly pilgrims and rest of us have no place except the pavement," said Kayani. These pilgrims paid 9,200 Qatari riyals in the hope of a hassle-free and comfortable Haj. "The Doha Group for Haj and Umrah is a reputed organization and we never expected that we would land in such a piquant situation after paying a lot of money," said pilgrim Bibi Hajra. "A lot more needs to be done (to crack down on inadequate services by Haj tour operators)," said pilgrim Imtiaz Saleem. "Hefty fines should be levied and the permits of the erring service providers should be canceled forever." [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Post message: [email protected] Subscribe : [email protected] Unsubscribe : [email protected] List owner : [email protected] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
