Hajj scam

Given that a parliamentary team had visited Makkah in September to inspect arrangements being made for the intending Pakistani Hajis and the media too closely focused on the event, the government had the timely warning that yet another mega scam was in the making. But for reasons not yet fully discovered the team's findings were entertained neither by the Prime Minister House or the relevant federal minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi nor by the parliament.
Then there was this letter from a Saudi prince detailing the incidence of massive corruption in hiring accommodation for the Pakistani Hajis. Again, there was no reaction from the government, so much so that even the authenticity of the letter was questioned. But smelling rat in matter the Supreme Court took suo motu notice. Of course as the Hajis reached the holy land a picture had begun emerging that housing provided to them was not only too far but also lacked basic facilities such as water, electricity and proper sanitation.
But now that the Hajis are back home their first hand accounts of their plight at the hands of corrupt Hajj Directorate mafia are simply stunning. Isn't it grossly pathetic that the greed-peddlers didn't spare even the Hajis? Accepted in an operation involving tens of thousands of pilgrims and their travel to another country and their tight schedules some lapses here and there are unavoidable, and there is no reason why the people won't take it in that spirit.
But the greed of a few individuals should bring so much of pain to so many that cannot be accepted. That Hamid Saeed Kazmi is still a minister and has not been sacked what else can be described as a syndicate job. He should have resigned by now.
One would go a step further and ask for the abolition of the Ministry for Hajj and Auquaf. It's an unnecessary burden on the national exchequer. Its task is essentially seasonal and once that is done it has nothing else to do. That the Makkah-based Hajj Directorate comes to life only for a short time there is no real contact between the Pakistan's officials and the host government. In fact, the task of making arrangements of housing and transport for the Hajis can be handled better by the Pakistan embassy. Let there be a special section in the embassy to take care of Hajj and Umra visitors.
Trained to serve in foreign countries the diplomats can perform this task, which involves frequent interaction with the host country's bureaucracy, much more efficiently than the home-based 'crowd' that gets into stride as the Hajj approaches. Given the chance to make easy buck in making housing and transport arrangements for the intending Hajis many would like to be posted at the Hajj Directorate.
That someone who was on exit-control list should get that prize post is indeed intriguing. Now that the Hajj scam is under investigation it would be useful to find out as to how this man landed this post. Is he somebody's class fellow? If our recent and present politics is any guide being a top-gun's class-fellow or batch-mate is a big advantage.
Hats off to Azam Swati, the federal minister for science and technology, who has dared Hamid Saeed Kazmi's chicanery and asked him to resign. Most of the fingers for the mess the Hajis had to put up with in Makkah are being raised in the direction of Kazmi. He should resign, as did the telecommunication minister in neighbouring India saying he would return after proving that he was wrongly accused of corruption.
Or, Prime Minister Gilani should have asked him to go home, as the allegation of defrauding tens of thousands of Hajis is far more serious than the loud-mouthing of a minister who was summoned post haste and sacked. Many other heads should also roll, for the crime to commit fraud seems to have been planned well in advance with active involvement of a number of bureaucrats and Hajj operators. They can be traced.
According to Pakistan's ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Umar Khan, 'if asked to take oath on the Holy Quran the tour operators will name those who were involved in the mismanagement'. This is a case which has nothing to do with politics. You don't have political detractors to blame for the allegation, but the ordinary people who were grievously hurt in the House of God.