Unholy pligrimage

Massive corruption and mismanagement in the conduct of Hajj affairs seem to be the very bottom anyone can sink to.

Massive corruption and mismanagement in the conduct of Hajj affairs would seem to be the very bottom of the abyss anyone can sink to. It seems all the more ironical that the Hajj scandal that has been hitting headlines for some weeks now should take place in a country like ours — where a great display of public piety is often put on and claims of religiosity made by people everywhere. This is matched by what appears to be a growing lack of morality. The allegations of wrongdoing have been particularly widespread this year. We have already heard complaints made publicly by a Saudi prince who alleged that apartments given to pilgrims from Pakistan had rents that were exorbitant and that they were located much further from the Kaaba compared to other available housing. He further alleged that the reason for this was that officials had made money on the side and that he was willing to furnish evidence to this effect. The director-general in charge of the operation was asked to come back to Pakistan and eventually arrested — but only after the Supreme Court intervened. The matter did not end there. Hamid Saeed Kazmi, the religious affairs minister, has been accused of mismanagement and even one of his colleagues, the science and technology minister, has stepped in and suggested that Mr Kazmi cannot claim innocence.

In some ways ,of course, all this is hardly new. We have heard much the same many times before. It is, after all, no secret that corruption is rampant everywhere. But if we can sink to depths in matters that hold a central place in our religion, if we can so ruthlessly exploit poor people who have saved for years to make the pilgrimage, then what does all this say about us as a people? We are told the matter is being investigated. It has indeed created some embarrassment in Islamabad. But whatever comes of this inquiry nothing will change the fact that thousands have suffered during an occasion of key importance to their lives due to the unscrupulous actions of various individuals. We can only hope — and pray — they receive the punishment they deserve so that such acts are not repeated in the future, at least as far as the conduct of Hajj affairs goes.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23^rd, 2010.