Hajj quota: SC hearing in tour operators’ plea adjourned

17 petitioners filed petitions on June 6 under Article 185(3) of Constitution against new private Hajj tour operators.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court adjourned on Monday the hearing on petitions on the appeal to set aside the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) verdict against the distribution of quota under the Hajj Policy, 2011, till Tuesday (today).

A four-member special bench comprising Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Mian Shahirullah Jan, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain was hearing the petitions.

Advocates Akram Sheikh, Ahmer Bilal Sofi and Azhar Siddique respectively delivered arguments as counsels for 17 Hajj group operators, whereas former law minister Dr Babar Awan represented the Federation of Pakistan.

As many as 17 petitioners filed petitions on June 6 under Article 185(3) of the Constitution to appeal in the Supreme Court against the LHC’s directive for the registration of new private Hajj tour operators.

The LHC on June 6 declared the government’s Hajj Policy for 2011 illegal, cancelled the quota allotted to 650 tour operators and asked the ministry to register eligible operators.

Akram Sheikh pleaded that the LHC had issued the verdict without hearing the contention of his clients, adding that Article 18 of the Constitution was not applicable to the companies.



Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2011.