Hajj quota policy: Ministry told to form larger commission

PHC CJ says larger commission should be constituted to form a balanced, transparent policy.

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has directed the Ministry of Religious Affairs to form a larger commission that can set a policy for awarding quotas to private Hajj operators.

Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth gave the order while heading a division bench of the PHC. The bench was hearing petitions filed by private Hajj operators Farhad Khan and Abu Saad, who have challenged the religious affairs ministry’s decision to reduce the quotas of Hajj operators. They maintain that the quota has been reduced from last years’ 2,000 per operator to 270 this year, from 1,500 to 240 and from 1,000 to 140.

Ministry of Religious Affairs Deputy Secretary Fareed Islam Khattak informed the bench that quota of around 89,605 pilgrims has been awarded to 722 companies, adding that quota of 540 persons is yet to be awarded. Khattak said the quotas were awarded upon recommendations of a committee constituted last year. He added that six companies that were black-listed by the commission were barred from sending any pilgrims for Hajj.

CJ Khan remarked that the pilgrims “start crying” the moment they land in Pakistan after performing Hajj and complain about the difficulties they faced due to negligence of their operators. He advised the religious affairs ministry to constitute a larger commission this time to form a transparent policy for awarding Hajj quota.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2012.