Minister denies Hajj debacle allegations

Kazmi says that the allega­tions levelle­d in letter attrib­uted to a Saudi prince were 'basele­ss' and...

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi said that the allegations leveled in a letter attributed to a Saudi prince were baseless and misleading, in a press conference here on Thursday.

He said that there were three major reasons for hiring buildings at some distance from the Haram Sharif. Firstly, the former Director General Rao Shakeel was prevented from performing his duties after complaints were received against him. Secondly, the Saudi government has demolished 3500 buildings near Haram Sharif therefore accommodation had to be some distance away. And lastly, there has been a delay in replacing the former DG Hajj with the Secretary of Religious Affairs Agha Sarwar Raza Qazalbash, which created the resultant situation.

Regarding the former DG Hajj, Kazmi said that inquiries were underway against him and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had also summoned him.

He said that the media had blamed on him on the eve of his daughter’s marriage, which had caused him much humiliation. Poor people from areas other than Multan and Rahim Yar Khan had also been sent for Hajj through the Hajj foundation, he added.

Secretary ministry of religious affairs said he would resign if corruption charges were proved against him, adding that the mafia was conspiring against them and this letter was part of the conspiracy. The Saudi prince would not have written directly to the Supreme Court, he would have lodged a complaint with the government instead, Qazalbash said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2010.