The Lahore High Court Chief Justice on Wednesday restrained the ministry of religious affairs from collecting Rs 5,000 as "compensation fund" from pilgrims via Hajj Group Organisers (HGOs). The court directed the ministry to obtain affidavits from HGOs allotted the quota to ensure maximum facilitation for pilgrims.
These directions were issued on a set of petitions, which had been filed challenging the Hajj Policy 2013 and adjourned the proceedings till June 18. Earlier, a law officer Abdul Hayee Gillani submitted a report about action taken against HGOs. He said 70 HGOs had been black-listed by Saudi Arabia, but these operators had been allocated quota of 9,000 pilgrims that could be cancelled if the court asked the ministry.
The Chief Justice remarked it was shameful for Pakistan that Saudi Arabian authorities had taken action against HGOs and the government failed to penalise them despite having evidence of their default. Azhar Siddique, who represented the petitioners, said that huge misappropriation was being committed in the name of the compensation fund. He pointed out that Competition Commission of Pakistan had also recommended the ministry to abolish the fund to reduce the cost of Hajj.
The law officer stated that Rs 54.5 million collected under this head had been frozen in compliance with the Supreme Court order in Hajj corruption case. The Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, however, stopped the ministry from collecting the fund from pilgrims through the HGOs.