Ministry Reports Limited Compliance with Umrah Violation Fines

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has revealed that only three of the 19 companies fined for breaching Umrah pilgrimage regulations have paid their penalties to date.

The fines, issued on 14 January, addressed various violations, including a case where a company misused funds meant for pilgrims by purchasing foreign currency.

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According to the Ministry, the companies were given a 30-day period to settle their fines. The Ministry has also warned that the names of those failing to comply within the timeframe will be publicly disclosed.

The fines were imposed following an investigation into Al-Hijra Travels and Tours, a company accused of mismanaging funds collected for pilgrimages. Last December, the company admitted to failing to arrange return tickets for pilgrims and diverting the money for other purposes. Al-Hijra Group was fined MVR 100,000, had its licence revoked, and was barred from participating in future Umrah pilgrimages, including through companies with shared shareholders. The case has since been referred to the police for further investigation.

Similar issues were reported last year during Ramadan, when Al-Mashar Tours left pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia. The Maldivian government had to step in to bring the pilgrims back. A subsequent criminal investigation into this incident concluded with the case against Mashar Pvt Ltd’s owner, Ali Farish, and the company being forwarded for prosecution.

The Ministry reiterated its commitment to enforcing regulations to prevent future violations and protect the rights of Maldivian pilgrims.