Nasheed's spokesperson Mariya Ahmed Didi said the former president requested the access in order to travel to India and perform pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Haveeru understands that Nasheed will depart to India tomorrow. He will then travel to Saudi Arabia on August 5-7 to perform Umrah – a pilgrimage performed by Muslims that can be undertaken at any time of the year. Nasheed will be accompanied by parliament speaker Abdulla Shahid, former attorney general Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad and Ahmed Mausoom, the vice chairperson of Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Nasheed, the opposition MDP presidential candidate, travelled to Sri Lankan capital Colobmo on July 7 to obtain visa. But he faced difficulties in obtaining the visa prompting him to cut short his visit and return to Male to file his candidacy for the September 7 elections.