Quota cut Centre to challenge rejection of Hajj policy

Names of pilgrims performing Hajj under govt scheme announced

ISLAMABAD: The government will file a review petition in the Supreme Court against the rejection of the Hajj Policy 2016 and consequent restoration of 50% quota for private Hajj operators.

“The government will approach the Supreme Court with a petition seeking review of its recent decision of restoring 50% quota for private hajj operators instead of 40%, as was announced by the government under the new Hajj Policy,” Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Mohammad Yousuf said.

He was addressing a ceremony held to finalise names of some 71,684 pilgrims, out of total 280,000 intending applicants, who would be performing Hajj this year under a government scheme. Names were finalized through computerized balloting.

Earlier, the government had announced a reduction of quota for private operators, from 50% to 40%, and enhancing government’s quota from 50 to 60%. However, the move was challenged.

On May 3, a three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, in its short order rejected the changes and restored the previous quotas for government and private operators.

Yousuf said most Pakistanis trusted the government’s Hajj scheme and wanted to perform Hajj through it.

Almost 44.3% of people selected for Hajj this year belong to Punjab, while 22.6% are from Sindh, 20.8% from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 5.5% from Balochistan.

Of all the applicants, nearly 57% were men and 43% women.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2016.