Corruption prevails in Hajj arrangements: Minister
SC directs religious affairs ministry to compensate each affected pilgrim.
ISLAMABAD:
Religious Affairs Minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi has admitted that there is corruption in Hajj arrangements but emphasised that this year the quantum of crime was much less than in previous years.
He was testifying before the Supreme Court on Monday to a six-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
Kazmi appeared in person before the court and said that he wanted to respond to the allegations that had been levelled against him. He submitted that the court had so far found no evidence to suggest that he was involved in corruption. He said that a media campaign had begun against him upon which the CJP inquired from him whether the media was his enemy. “The media criticised the judiciary round the clock and we corrected ourselves in the light of this criticism,” the CJP remarked.
Justice Javed Iqbal observed that until Kazmi was the sitting federal minister, the FIA will not be able to independently probe the scam. “Don’t you think you shouldn’t continue as federal minister during investigation?” Justice Iqbal inquired from Kazmi.
The court inquired from Qazilbash how an accused person was appointed as the director-general for Hajj [Rao Shakeel] to which the secretary replied that he was not aware about Shakeel’s corrupt practices. “You are a federal secretary, you should be aware of all matters. Was there no fair person to be appointed?” Justice Iqbal remarked.
Establishment Secretary Khushnud Akhtar Lashari submitted a report regarding Shakeel’s appointment. Senator Dr Khalid Soomro and MNA Pir Imran Shah submitted their reports regarding the alleged corruption in Hajj arrangements, in which they stated that Shakeel alone could not be held responsible and people were also nominating the president and the prime minster.
Justice Iqbal remarked that the report [by Soomro and Shah] pointed out that it was a big mugging but the government had failed to act.
The court also inquired about Hajj expenses sponsored by the interior ministry and was informed that the expenses of these pilgrims were sponsored by the management of Bahria Town. “If the owner of Bahria Town is such a wealthy person, why did he not pay taxes to the government?” the CJP said.
The court directed the ministry of religious affairs to pay 700 Saudi riyals to each affected pilgrim of maktab numbers 49, 51, 52 and 53.
The court also barred Agha Sarwar Qazilbash, the ministry’s federal secretary, from foreign travel except for official visits. For such visits, he will require prior permission from the prime minister.
Adjourning hearing till December 9, the court also directed the Director-General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Waseem Ahmad to appear in the next hearing. It also directed the FIA to add former Hajj director-general Rao Shakeel’s name on the Exit Control List (ECL).
Published in The Express Tribune, December 7th, 2010.
Religious Affairs Minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi has admitted that there is corruption in Hajj arrangements but emphasised that this year the quantum of crime was much less than in previous years.
He was testifying before the Supreme Court on Monday to a six-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
Kazmi appeared in person before the court and said that he wanted to respond to the allegations that had been levelled against him. He submitted that the court had so far found no evidence to suggest that he was involved in corruption. He said that a media campaign had begun against him upon which the CJP inquired from him whether the media was his enemy. “The media criticised the judiciary round the clock and we corrected ourselves in the light of this criticism,” the CJP remarked.
Justice Javed Iqbal observed that until Kazmi was the sitting federal minister, the FIA will not be able to independently probe the scam. “Don’t you think you shouldn’t continue as federal minister during investigation?” Justice Iqbal inquired from Kazmi.
The court inquired from Qazilbash how an accused person was appointed as the director-general for Hajj [Rao Shakeel] to which the secretary replied that he was not aware about Shakeel’s corrupt practices. “You are a federal secretary, you should be aware of all matters. Was there no fair person to be appointed?” Justice Iqbal remarked.
Establishment Secretary Khushnud Akhtar Lashari submitted a report regarding Shakeel’s appointment. Senator Dr Khalid Soomro and MNA Pir Imran Shah submitted their reports regarding the alleged corruption in Hajj arrangements, in which they stated that Shakeel alone could not be held responsible and people were also nominating the president and the prime minster.
Justice Iqbal remarked that the report [by Soomro and Shah] pointed out that it was a big mugging but the government had failed to act.
The court also inquired about Hajj expenses sponsored by the interior ministry and was informed that the expenses of these pilgrims were sponsored by the management of Bahria Town. “If the owner of Bahria Town is such a wealthy person, why did he not pay taxes to the government?” the CJP said.
The court directed the ministry of religious affairs to pay 700 Saudi riyals to each affected pilgrim of maktab numbers 49, 51, 52 and 53.
The court also barred Agha Sarwar Qazilbash, the ministry’s federal secretary, from foreign travel except for official visits. For such visits, he will require prior permission from the prime minister.
Adjourning hearing till December 9, the court also directed the Director-General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Waseem Ahmad to appear in the next hearing. It also directed the FIA to add former Hajj director-general Rao Shakeel’s name on the Exit Control List (ECL).
Published in The Express Tribune, December 7th, 2010.