“Ballots in the names of pilgrims who had performed Hajj in 2008-09 were selected by automated manipulation of the computerised draw, to sell them in black to applicants who otherwise did not qualify for the government quota,” a senior FIA official told The Express Tribune.
Top officials minted some Rs375 million from the scheme. The 15,000 ballots were sold out for Rs25,000 each to various tour operators, according to investigators. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) discovered the manipulation during the interrogation of three perpetrators involved in the scam who were arrested on Tuesday.
The Religious Affairs Ministry selected 68,800 pilgrims for the government scheme under former minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi’s supervision.
FIA launched an investigation on complaints from pilgrims who had already performed Hajj on government quota, when their names appeared in the finalised list for 2010. Sami Khan, a computer operator in the ministry revealed thousands of ballots in their names were included in the draw on the directions of senior officers. The investigators also arrested Ghulam Mustafa, proprietor of Diar-e-Madina Tour Operators, based in Faisalabad. He was involved in selling hundreds of Hajj applications in connivance with high officials.
Another tour operator Abdul Sattar, now in FIA’s custody allegedly cut the deal with the former minister for Hajj affairs. He purchased the fake ballots for millions of rupees. The secretary and the director general Hajj affairs have also been implicated in the scheme.
FIA officials have recovered Rs0.2 million from the three in their custody and have approached the court to obtain physical remand.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2011.
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