'Saudi govt to issue 2m Umrah visas'

LAHORE - The Saudi government will issue as many as 2 million visas during the ongoing Umrah season this year. Almost 1.2 million Umrah visas have been issued up until last Wednesday, witnessing an increase of 237,681 visas, or 32 per cent, compared to the same period last year, informed Isa Rawas, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Haj for Umrah Affairs. Meanwhile the Ministry of Haj has ordered all licensed Umrah service-providing companies and establishments to ensure pilgrims in Makkah and Madina are accommodated in hotels and furnished apartments approved by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA). An official of the ministry informed on Sunday that there were 71,000 rooms in Makkah that could accommodate up to 900,000 pilgrims every month, while there were more than 30,000 rooms in Madina that could accommodate more than 365,000 pilgrims monthly. He expected the accommodation capacity in Makkah to exceed a million pilgrims next week, 400,000 in Madina. The SCTA had closed down 36 tourist accommodation facilities in Makkah and Jeddah, while 40 others may face the same fate if they do not take action to rectify their violations. The facilities were closed down for failure to obtain formal licenses from the Civil Defense and the municipalities after failing to match expected standards.