Two religious ministry officials granted bail in Hajj corruption case

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted post-arrest bail to two convicts of the Hajj corruption case who have completed their sentence of six years imprisonment on two counts and are behind the bars only because they have not yet paid the fine imposed on them.

IHC Chief Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi granted bail to the convicts, the former joint secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs, Raja Aftabul Islam, and the then DG Hajj, Rao Shakeel, but linked it with the submission of surety equaling the amount of fine imposed on them.



On June 3rd, Judge Malik Nazir Ahmad of the special court (central) had awarded six years imprisonment each on two counts to the former federal minister for religious affairs, Hamid Saeed Kazmi, Shakeel and Islam.

The counsel for the convicts had requested the court to allow them to submit sureties against the fine imposed on them so that they are released from jail.



According to a report of the superintendent of Rawalpindi Central Prison, the convicts have completed their jail term and are behind the bars only because they have not yet paid the fine imposed on them.

While accepting their request for bail-after arrest, the court ordered them to submit sureties equal to the amount of fine imposed on them.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2016.