Egypt Cracks Down on Tourism Firms
Hajj Disaster Claims Over a Thousand Lives during Saudi Arabia's Summer Heatwave
Following the loss of more than a thousand lives during this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, Egypt is cracking down on tourism companies. The Egyptian cabinet, led by Minister-President Mostafa Madbuli, has decided to revoke licenses of 16 companies that allegedly arranged unauthorized pilgrimages. The managers of these companies are now facing prosecution.
According to AFP news agency, an estimated 1000 people didn't make it through the recent Hajj, which took place in Saudi Arabia. Of the deceased, approximately 658 were Egyptian, with around 630 of them not officially registered for the pilgrimage.
Hajj is a five-day religious event in Saudi Arabia that falls under the five pillars of Islam. Any healthy, financially capable Muslim is expected to participate in this pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. Unfortunately, many pilgrims attempt the journey without an official pilgrimage license due to financial constraints, and as a result, they often go unregistered by Saudi Arabian authorities.
Before the Hajj, which began on June 14, Saudi officials reportedly forced hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims out of Mecca. Some of these individuals reportedly still participated in the Hajj despite being unregistered and thus lacked access to cooled rest areas set up for the 1.8 million officially registered pilgrims. The heat during this year's Hajj was extreme, reaching up to 51 degrees Celsius, and those unregistered individuals were particularly vulnerable.
The Religions Minister of Tunisia was let go from their position on Friday, following the death of 49 Tunisian pilgrims during the Hajj. The Presidency failed to provide any additional reasons for the decision.
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In response to the high number of deaths during the Hajj, Egypt is scrutinizing tourism companies involved in arranging unauthorized pilgrimages, as illustrated by the revocation of licenses for 16 such companies and the subsequent prosecution of their managers. Egypt's strict actions follow the loss of almost 660 Egyptian lives in this year's Hajj, many of whom were not officially registered for the pilgrimage due to financial constraints, highlighting the dangers faced by unregistered pilgrims in the harsh conditions of Islam's sacred event.
