Hajj Policy 2012: Ministry told to reply by 16th

Petition seeking the formulation of a transparent Hajj Policy, 2012; allocation of quotas to tour operators on merit.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday asked the secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs to file a reply till March 16 on a petition seeking the formulation of a transparent Hajj Policy, 2012 and the allocation of quotas to tour operators on merit. The petitioner, Advocate Azhar Muhammad Siddique, submitted that the ministry was delaying the announcement of Hajj Policy, 2012 as it had done last year. He said last year when he had challenged the Hajj Policy for being unfair, the ministry had told the court that there was no time left to revise the policy. The petitioner said last year about Rs80 million was collected from the pilgrims under charges including rent of apartments in Saudi Arabia and insurance etc. He said the ministry favoured certain private tour operators.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2012.