Travel To Hijaz e Muqaddas For Umra From Oct 22 to Nov 11, 2018

This is special Mercy and Karam of Al Mighty Allah who bestowed upon me the third chance to visit His sacred home (Khana Kaa'ba) and the Roza Mubarak Of our Great Prophet, The Khatemun Nabeeyeen Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa Ahmad e Mujtaba (PBUH) and to offer prayers in Masjid e Nabvi. First Umra was performed during 1980 when the blogger was on the way to Pakistan from Mexico completing official training via the USA and England. Second time performed Hajj during 2011 along with wife and now thirdly with whole family including four and a half year-old grand daughter Noorul Huda Saqib and two and a half -year old grandson Muhammad Ahmad Hayat.

Al-Harmain. Travel and Tourism Agency, situated in Pothohar Plaza, Blue Area, Islamabad, with Muhammad Jamraiz Abbasi, Managing Partner arranged our Umra journey, including visa. transport, hotels and all other traveling documents. The agency with whom I had performed Hajj in 2011. Though, Al-Harmain arranged everything necessary for Hajj, but actually our transport, meals and ziarat were handled by Al-Habib who are partner and have joint venture during Hajj. The Hajj travel and this time Umra journey was arranged excellently. I appreciate the efforts of Jamraizr Abbasi. who is running the agency in the best way. Of course , all the arrangements done by the Al-Harmaim were the best. I would rank this agency to the tune of hundred percent. I will suggest Umra and intending Hajis to avail the services of Al-Harmain that will never disappoint you. However, there was one drawback during this journey, that the hotel booked for our family for Medina Munawwara 10-day stay was originally Safa Almas-1, but there the bus dropped us on Hotel Darat Elyas, down airport road, and the man standing there said it was the hotel and still its board has not been changed. The worst condition of the room revealed as we were put in prison. The card board door of narrow bath room had holes and it could not be locked. Room was narrow too, one could hardly moved around. Though guests were accomodated on three floors that had one lift which had capacity of four persons only, this remained out of order 10 hours a day. The worst situation we had to face was the stoppage of water due to fault in pumping machine.

All the guests were without water in the bath rooms and it was not available even for washing hands, face or for ablution. Eventually, police was called who controlled the situation and ordered the hotel administration to make water available within 2 hours, however, still it took 12 hours and we remained without water for at least 24 hours. The future Umra or Hajj Zaireen are advised be careful of this troublesome hotel in Madina. However, Jood Al- Taj hotel on Ibrahim Khalil Road in Makka Mukarrama was better, had fast 5 lifts that did nor create any trouble. On returned I called Jamraiz Abbasi of Al Harmain and complained about the hotel, he apologised and said I could call him from Saudi Arabia, he would have changed the hotel, but one has no time to make long distance calls whereas, WiFi was available onle in lobby and with 2 meter radius. However, as a whole AlHarmain made nice and our Umra journey comfortable. I thank the administration of Al Harmain and specially Muhammad Jamraiz Abbasi for cooperation,