LHC CJ directed the ministry to allocate the quota through auction so that the organisers providing the best facilities could get the quota. PHOTO: lhc.gov.pk
LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court chief justice on Monday directed the Ministry of Religious Affairs to allocate quotas through auction to 18 of the top 60 Hajj group tour organisers, known as HGOs.
Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial was hearing petitions from newly registered HGOs challenging the process of quota allocation by the ministry.
Additional Deputy Attorney General Abdul Hayee Gillani told the court that a quota of 910 pilgrims was available and would be allocated to companies among the top 60 newly-registered HGOs meeting the criteria.
He said the quota could be allocated equally among 18 HGOs only.
At this, the CJ directed the ministry to allocate the quota through auction so that the organisers providing the best facilities could get the quota.
Earlier, petitioner’s counsel Azhar Siddique pointed out that the HGOs had reduced the cost of going on Hajj due to the ongoing proceedings in the court.
Chief Justice Bandial remarked that the ministry should take steps enabling every citizen to perform the Hajj. He adjourned the case till July 9 and asked the ministry to submit a progress report on the allocation of quotas.
The petitioners had pleaded that the ministry was allocating quotas without verifying the HGOs’ credentials. They said some provisions of the Hajj Policy 2013 had been amended by the ministry in contravention of a report by the Competition Commission of Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 25th, 2013.
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