Unholy enterprise: Cleric seeks case against tour operator

Petitioner Muhammad Maqbool said his relatives had handed over Rs807,000 and their passports to the agency

LAHORE:

An additional district and sessions judge sought comments from the FIA director on Wednesday in connection with a petition seeking action against a gang duping citizens in the name of offering passage to Saudi Arabia for religious rites.

Petitioner Muhammad Maqbool, a prayer leader, told the court that he had come across an umrah package advertisement by Saleem Karwan-i-Haram Medina Travel and Tour Agency. He said he and a friend of his had handed over Rs180,000 and their passports to the agency on February 10. Maqbool said his relatives had also expressed willingness to accompany him to the holy land after becoming cognisant of his impending journey to the holy land. He said his relatives had handed over Rs807,000 and their passports to the agency.  Maqbool said the agency’s Muhammad Yusuf, Younas and Ijaz had tried to evade them when they had approached them to secure their air tickets. He said the men had addressed them in an unbecoming manner when they had tried to obtain their money back following the passage of the stipulated umrah date. Maqbool said they had later refused to reimburse the amount in question.

He said he had approached various officials for justice in vain. Maqbool requested the court to direct the FIA director to lodge an FIR against the suspects.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd, 2015.