Khuddamul Hujjaj selection: Court summons Hajj authorities over favouritism allegation

Petition claims blue-eyed officials selected as Khuddamul Hujjaj.

ISLAMABAD: A high court judge on Monday summoned the Hajj director and Religious Affairs joint secretary in response to a petition moved by five police officials seeking court orders to serve as Khuddamul Hujjaj (helpers for the pilgrims).

Justice Noorul Haq Quereshi of the Islamabad High Court, while hearing the petition, summoned Joint Secretary Hafiz Sher Ali and the Hajj director Wajid Zia to explain why the petitioners’ names had not been included in the list.

Assistant Sub Inspector Azmat Hayyat and four other officials had filed their petition through Advocate Shuja Abbas, who said that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Bani Amin Khan had held the balloting for nominations from the Islamabad police on August 25.

However, they alleged that the Deputy Inspector General of Police Dr Mujeebur Rehman and the Religious Affairs secretary ignored the results and instead nominated 59 blue-eyed officials, nine of whom do not even belong to the police group.

According to the 2012 Hajj policy, a medical mission comprising 540 personnel and 230 Khuddamul Hujjaj, with a variation of 10%, is to be deputed for the welfare of pilgrims subject to availability of resources. In case of shortage, it would be met through the volunteer Khuddamul Hajjaj schemes.

The counsel informed the court that the government, through the Religious Affairs Ministry, nominates Khuddamul Hujjaj from different institutions including the armed forces, the police and civil armed forces. In 2011, 25 officials from the Islamabad police were nominated without balloting and approval of the IGP, he claimed.

The court, after hearing the argument, passed the orders and adjourned the case till September 24.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2012.