FIA raids Kazmi's house

Islamabad civil court issues arrest warrant for former religious affairs minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi.

ISLAMABAD: A team of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday raided the house of former minister for religious affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi after a civil court in Islamabad issued arrest warrants for him in the Hajj corruption case.

Kazmi was not at his house when the team raided his house.

Earlier today, Islamabad civil court judge Aslam Gondal issued the warrant for Kazmi, reported Express 24/7 correspondent Faisal Shakeel. The development came after today's (Thursday) case hearing on the scam.

During the hearing, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials investigating the case informed the Supreme Court that they have found evidence of corruption by Kazmi.

The officials also asked the court to question Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani's son Abdul Qadir Gilani in the scam case.

The Religious Affairs Secretary, who also appeared in court, stated that the ministry has compensated 96 per cent of the pilgrims affected by the scam in the Hajj arrangements. He said no middle man will be hired for the government's Hajj operation from next year and that the Hajj quota will be alloted on merit.

The court ordered the Religious Affairs Secretary to frame a transparent Hajj policy.

The FIA is probing into an embezzlement of millions of rupees in Hajj affairs, the crossfire over which provoked Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani into axing two federal ministers from the cabinet three days back.

The corruption and irregularities in the Hajj scam which had put an extra burden of Rs35,000 on each pilgrim this year and led to the sacking of former federal minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi and Azam Swati has sent ripple effects through the political landscape of the country ending up in the JUI-F quiting from the coalition.

A Saudi prince had previously written a letter claiming that Pakistani government officials had refused his offer of a cheaper place of accommodation, opting instead for a more expensive residential area. The Chief Justice had taken suo moto notice of the case.