Page 279 - Bahrain Gov annual reports(V)_Neat

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PASSPORT DEPARTMENT
(Report by Mr. Kadhim A1 Asfur, Passport Officer).
Revenue. The total revenue for the year was Rs. 97,715 comprising as follows:—
Travel Passes . Rs. 20,742
Book Passports 12,023
Entries 9,090
Renewals 5,955
Miscellaneous forms 4,665
Residence Permits 38,915
Revenue Stamps 3,100
Other items 3,225

Total .. .. Rs. 97,715
Pilgrims. During the year 2073 pilgrims proceeded to Mecca, as against 1,300 in 1954,
these included 391 Persians, long resident in Bahrain, to whom passports are not normally
issued except for the purpose of carrying out religious observances such as the pilgrimages to
Mecca or to the Holy Cities of Iraq. Most of the pilgrims were people from the villages, their
journeys were arranged by local Mullahs who take parties of pilgrims to Mecca by contract
at Rs. 600/- per head, including food, lodging and transport. Over 350 Pakistani pilgrims
came to Bahrain on their way to and from Saudi Arabia and about 600 Pakistanis and Afghanis
came here from Saudi Arabia in dhows at the end of the pilgrim season. They remained for
some time in Bahrain owing to the difficulty in obtaining passages on steamers and eventually
those who could afford to do so travelled on by air and the others hired a large launch and
went by sea to Karachi. Over 4,500 Shia pilgrims made the journey to Iraq and to Iran to visit
the holy shrines.
Passengers.
Arrivals Departures
By air .. 30,561 32,368
By steamers 21,018 16,246
By local crafts .. 44,780 43,555

96,359 92,169

The nationalities of the passengers were as follows:—
Bahrainis 34,811 36,710
Saudis 14,441 14,740
Muscatis 12,111 11,205
U.K. Citizen 7,696 7,288
Trucial States 6,581 4,861
Indians 5,650 4,257
Pakistanis 4,769 3,167
U.S. Citizen 2,721 2,757
Qataris 1,964 1,758
Portuguese 1,040 740
Kuwaitis 755 787
Other Arab nationals 1,892 1,726
Other Europeans 1,119 1,049
Other Asiatics .. 587 848
Other nationals 222 276

96,359 92,169
Dhows and Launches. 8,215 Dhows and Launches arrived at Bahrain. The crew and the
passengers of these craft were registered in the Office with full particulars to ensure their
departure from Bahrain.
Persian Divers. 609 Persian Divers were allowed to land during the diving season on
personal security of Bahrain Nakhudas who engaged them; all of them went back to Persia
after the season.