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Pilgrims face problems due to govt inefficiency
Pakistani pilgrims are facing immense problems in Makkah due to the lack of arrangements by government administrators.
DG Hajj Rao Shakeel was called back over corruption charges. PHOTO: FILE/AFP
MAKKAH: Pilgrims who went for Hajj through the government scheme are facing immense problems due to lack of accommodation and unwillingness on the part of the administrators to provide any help.
Most of the buildings purchased by the Hajj administrators are 5km away from Haram Sharif, while according to laws, the accommodation should not be more than 2km from away.
Most of the pilgrims are living on footpaths and roads due to the negligence of the Pakistani Hajj administrators.
The situation worsened when DG Hajj Rao Shakeel was called back over corruption charges of millions of rupees in the guise of purchasing buildings for the pilgrims.
Also, the administration showed the rent of some buildings to be Saudi Riyal 3,600 (maximum expenditure assigned by Hajj Policy 2010 for accommodation) while the actual fare was Saudi Riyal 2,500.
Pilgrims from other countries like India and Indonesia are reportedly staying in better and cheaper accommodations and that too within the premises of the city.
The Parliamentary Committee on Religious Affairs pointed out faults in this regard but nothing has been done this regard as yet.
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Pakistan has a full ministry for this purpose and someone must take some notice /action for this……J FOR GENERALIST/GEDGE/GENERAL or who so ever………….plzRecommend
Very shameful of this government. Atleast they should have spared Pilgrims. Where are we heading?Recommend
There is a comprehensive DESIGN behind all this……………………WE will be hunting themRecommend
We, the Pakistanis are disgraced in every aspect of life!! what to say??? Allah hi poochay ga.Recommend
Allah kay naam per corruption … I mean dont these people, that are using Hajj for their corruption have families, wife, kids, parents, and arent they afraid what may happen to them or their folks, if Allah penalizes them for their misdeeds?Recommend
It is really a pity to see such state of affairs. Our government was not able to buy a single house for pilgrims in a year. The one already they had was very good and around 500m from the Haram. It was unfortunate to let loose that opportunity to retain it as the rent was increased a little bit.
The maintenance of the Pakistan house in Jeddah was much better and even the locations are good (not far away, takes 10 min only to reach the Mosque).
I live in Saudia and around a month ago have seen the fancy ceiling and decor been done in
the Pakistan house Madina (don’t know why), where as the ramps for wheel chairs and stairs were still broken. Also the state of the washrooms and rooms was not upto the mark and one could see the temporary work done everywhere.
We should ask the government to request some bunch of industries (and one can get lot many) to rent the buildings from their taxes and divert them through a governing body. (Public Private Partnership) It should be run as a trust with no profit no loss basis and the Pakistanis living or coming for Umraa can stay there.
Regards,
Tariq Nasim
Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaRecommend
Tauba, there is no shaaram or shame Recommend
@ Fahad, we are heading to HELL!! Isn’t that obvious?Recommend
The vampires (our Ministers top to bottom) thirst is so much that they don’t want to let go off our religion also. Sucking the bloods of the pilgrims too. these Ministers!Recommend
i am a hajj organiser in the uk we have so many rules and regulations to follow befor we actually get our stickers ie the visas from saudi arabia everything is filed first so this could have been avoided if the saudi authorities had checked the documents submited to them. hajj is such a good thing here and all around the world it is been handeled as a game and not a religious trip of a life time. people set up companys wich are not regulated and run of with the money. our people do not go for the realistic side of it they just want to save money..Recommend