The Ministry of Religious Affairs has confiscated guarantees of nine Hajj Group Organizers (HGOs) who showed negligence in providing facilities to pilgrims and violated their agreements during Hajj-2009. "Cash guarantees of nine companies have so far been confiscated, while the Complaint Disposal Cell (CDC) of the Ministry is also compiling complaints against some other HGOs," Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Agha Sarwar Raza Qazalbash told APP.
The CDC had received complaints against 40 HGOs, out of around 590 that could not fulfil their agreements causing inconvenience to the Hujjaj. "There are some complaints by pilgrims that they were not provided the agreed accommodation in Makkah-tul-Mukarrama and Madina-tul-Munawara by some private Hajj operators," Agha Sarwar Raza added. He said on gross violation of the agreement, licences of operators could be cancelled or their quota for next Hajj scheme could be curtailed besides imposition of fines.
The Secretary said the ministry had acquired 259 building to accommodate 80,000 Pakistani pilgrims sent under the government scheme, adding utmost efforts were made to facilitate pilgrims and provide them residence near to Haram Sharif. He said innovative and radical proposals would be incorporated in the new Hajj policy to facilitate the intending pilgrims.
The Secretary said Hajj quota for the next pilgrimage would only be given to the operators registered with the International Air Transport Association. He proposed that Khuddam-ul-Hujjaj and other seasonal staff should not be sent from Pakistan as services of students studying in Saudi Arabia could be hired on contract basis.
To a question, he said private airlines would be invited to participate in the next Hajj flight operation as earlier only two international airlines were allowed to operate Hajj flights from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia and vice versa. He said the ministry is in the favour of competition between more than two airlines, in order to create competitive environment in the airfares.
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