Bedouns Without Passports Won’t Be Allowed To Travel For Hajj

Bedoun residents of Kuwait who do not hold passports will not be allowed to travel for Hajj pilgrimage this year because of the decision taken by Ministry of Interior to stop issuing Article 17 passports, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting official sources from Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs.

They revealed that Ministry of Interior has not yet approved allowing Bedoun residents with passports to travel for Hajj pilgrimage, explaining that the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs had contacted Ministry of Interior to enquire whether Bedoun people with passports are allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj but there was no response from the ministry in this regard.

The sources affirmed that the Hajj caravans do not accept any Bedoun without passports or with passports that will expire shortly. They disclosed that the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs is considering the possibility of banning Bedoun residents who had performed Hajj pilgrimage in the last five years from traveling soon. The sources said the ministry sent a circular to all caravans to stress the need to keep the passports of the pilgrims who use their caravans and return the passports to them only after they arrive in Kuwait.