Prior to departure, the president told Haveeru that he would meet top government officials during his visit. He would also look to expedite some of the requests made by the Maldives to the Saudi government. Waheed’s predecessor Mohamed Nasheed has so far been denied a visa to enter Saudi Arabia for a planned Umrah pilgrimage and is presently stranded in Sri Lanka. In response to a question over the matter, president said “we will do everything we can to get visa for him.” Asked why Nasheed had been denied a visa, the president stressed that it was difficult for him to comment on the matter. “If I say anything it will just lead to speculation. How can I know something that they even don’t know?” he said. President Waheed further insisted that the government would not stymie Nasheed’s pilgrimage in any way. An official from the Saudi embassy in Sri Lanka told Haveeru on Tuesday that Nasheed had been denied a visa. But the official added that the former president had reapplied for visa. It is believed that Nasheed had initially failed to obtain visa from the Saudi royal protocol, which had prompted him to reapply as an ordinary applicant. Machchangoalhi-North MP Mariya Ahmed Didi said it would take a few days for Nasheed to get visa through the Saudi royal protocol. She confirmed that Nasheed was in Sri Lanka and would depart for pilgrimage as soon as the visa is arranged. She said Nasheed was extremely disappointed by reports that some of his opponents were trying to stymie his pilgrimage.