DUSHANBE, December 4, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- 90 Tajik nationals who had arrived in Saudi Arabia to participate in the Hajj on counterfeit visas were deported from Jeddah on December 3, Russia’s news agency IslamNews reported.

The pilgrims said they had got visas from one of tour operators in Dushanbe that had been engaged in processing their documents for participation in the Hajj, according to IslamNews.

In the meantime, according to the directorate for religious affairs (DRA) within the Ministry of Culture (MoC), all 5,200 Tajik Muslims that got visas for participation in the Hajj through the DRA arrived in Arabia Saudi and were accommodated without any problems.

It is to be noted that the DRA controls participation in the Hajj and imposes restrictions on pilgrims (hajjis), citing the need to maintain hygiene and safety standards.  The DRA collects applications and all fees and makes all flight and hotel arrangements.