Supreme Court gives seven-day deadline for Hajj policy

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave a seven-day deadline to the concerned government authorities to devise a Hajj policy for efficient arrangements for this year’s pilgrimage.

Hearing a contempt-of-court application earlier today, Justice Qazi Faez Isa of the Supreme Court demanded to know why the relevant authorities had failed to prepare a Hajj policy despite the apex court’s orders three years ago to devise and implement a comprehensive Hajj policy.

The Supreme Court, on 21st August 2013, had directed the federal authorities to prepare a Hajj policy to make arrangements for the pilgrimage more comfortable, better and cost-effective.

However, despite repetitive orders by the apex court, the authorities had failed to come up with any such policy, the court noted.

Earlier in February this year, the Supreme Court had ordered the federal and provincial governments and all concerned authorities to take action against fake Hajj and Umrah tour operators.

In case any incident of defrauding intending-pilgrims was reported, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Anti-Corruption Establishment, the Police and all relevant ministries, authorities, statutory bodies of the provinces and the federal government would be liable for prosecution under the law, the apex court had warned.

The court had noted that every year, before the Hajj season commenced, innocent pilgrims were looted by various agencies, including unauthorised tour operators.

To avoid prosecution, the Supreme Court had ordered the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter Faith Harmony to update its website in English, Urdu and all local languages, "showing all the details about the duly approved Hajj & Umrah Tour Operators, warning the public at large that except those mentioned on the website, no other agency or Tour & Hajj Operator is authorized to make booking or collect money for sending people to perform Hajj or Umrah."