IHC’s order: Allocate Hajj quotas within 10 days

SC had earlier asked religious affairs ministry to finalise Hajj arrangements under the Hajj Policy 2011.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (ICH) on Monday took notice of the delay in allocating Hajj quota and ordered the ministry of religious affairs to implement the Supreme Court’s judgment on quotas within 10 days. Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the IHC was hearing a petition against the ministry of religious affairs. Advocate Amir Abdullah, the lawyer for the petitioner, said that despite the detailed judgment of the Supreme Court the petitioners had not been allocated Hajj quota. Secretary Ministry for Religious Affairs Chaudhry Azam and Joint Secretary Hafiz Sher Ali appeared on behalf of the ministry. The Supreme Court had earlier asked the ministry of religious affairs to finalise Hajj arrangements under the Hajj Policy 2011 by overturning a Lahore High Court verdict that had declared quota allocations under Hajj policy illegal.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2012.