Daily Times

Private Hajj tour operators on Wednesday challenged Hajj Policy 2019 and quota reserved for them in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Plea filed by Advocate Abdul Khalique Tand was taken up by Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Athar Minhallah.

“Hajj policy 2019 is in contradiction with the Supreme Court’s orders, while transparency was not insured in awarding quota to private operators,” the plea read. The court was pleaded to pass orders to form new Hajj policy by striking down the recent policy issued by the federal government.

Later, the court deferred the hearing of case for 10 days and issued notices to the secretary ministry of Religious Affairs and section officer. The federal cabinet approved its first Hajj Policy on January 30.

According to the new policy, as many as 200,000 people from Pakistan would perform Hajj this year, 60 percent of which under the government scheme, while the rest under the private tour operators.

It is pertinent to mention here that on February 14, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had rejected the petition challenging Hajj policy 2019, after declaring it non-maintainable.

“The government says that those who have resources can perform Hajj as there will be no subsidy.” The court cannot interfere in a policy decision which has been taken by the government in accordance with the constitution, the LHC bench remarked.

Published in Daily Times, March 7^th 2019.