By IINA,
Makkah : Haj pilgrims who overstay could face new fines of between SR1,000 and SR3,000 and a ban on entering the Kingdom for a specific period. This was disclosed by Maj. Gen. Abed Katib, Assistant Director of Passports for Haj and Umrah Affairs. He revealed that final touches are being put to a new regulation to curb overstaying by pilgrims, ahead of its final approval. “Foreign pilgrims have to leave the Kingdom by January 12.
After the January 12 deadline, the Passports Department would arrest overstayers in all cities. Those dealing with or sheltering overstayers would be penalized as well,” he warned. The “No permit, no Haj” rule was strictly enforced during this year’s Haj season and some 85,000 citizens and expatriate pilgrims without permits were barred from entering the holy sites. Katib denied that pilgrims without permits were let into the holy sites on Arafat Day.