Pilgrims’ progress: Hajj fund collection stopped

Petitioner’s counsel said that tour operators were collecting Rs5,000 from every pilgrim.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday barred the Ministry of Religious Affairs from collecting Rs5,000 as Hajj compensation fund from each pilgrim through private tour operators. The court also sought details of the package being offered to pilgrims by old tour operators and observed that the ministry should seek affidavits from the operators about facilities being provided. Petitioner’s counsel, Muhammad Azhar Siddique, said that tour operators were collecting Rs5,000 from every pilgrim and that applications were not accepted without it.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2013.