Hajj quota: Stay order extended till 25th

LAHORE: Justice Umar Ata Bandial of the Lahore High Court on Friday sought a reply from the Ministry of Religious Affairs on a petition challenging the allotment of Hajj quota without receiving applications from private tour operators. The judge had already restrained the ministry and tour operators from receiving pilgrims’ applications for Hajj. The stay order was extended till May 25. Justice Bandial was hearing petitions moved by 21 tour operators who had they say violated the Hajj Policy 2012. Petitioners’ counsel Muhammad Azhar Siddique submitted that the Lahore High Court on May 2 had issued a stay order against the allocation of Hajj quota. He said that the ministry had issued quotas to 21 tour operators in back dates.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2012.