(Sukuk.net - Arab News) Bahraini authorities are holding talks with their Saudi counterparts in order to increase the present pilgrims' quota to 15,000 by 2009.

This year, about 8,000 Bahraini pilgrims will come for the Haj. The chief of the Haj and Umrah section at the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs, Abdul Nasser Al-Abdullah, was quoted as saying by the Bahrain News Agency that passports of Bahraini pilgrims would bear a special Haj stamp for the first time to protect them from being exploited by unlicensed agents.

However, pilgrims will have to pay more to the Haj companies who have hiked their prices for travel to Makkah and Madinah and accommodations there. According to reports, the prices have gone up this season because of severe shortage of accommodations as a result of the expansion projects being carried out near the Grand Mosque. The Supreme Haj panel here has given licenses to 50 Haj firms compared to 46 last year. A 120-member Bahraini delegation would visit Saudi Arabia next month to inspect the facilities for Haj pilgrims.

Head of Haj Commission Shaikh Adnan Al-Qatan told Arab News Haj expenses by caravans have doubled this year compared to last year. In view of that, it has not been possible to stop Haj contractors from increasing their price.

Al-Abdullah said they received several complaints from their Saudi counterparts regarding violations by unlicensed contractors. The Department of Islamic Affairs has also launched a hot line (17812868) to handle queries and reservation of pilgrims.

In addition, the government has formed a special working team, which would impose penalties on those who illegally transport pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
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