LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Tuesday adjourning the hearing of petitions challenging Haj policy 2013 and process of quota allocation sought a report from Religious Affairs Ministry by June 24.
The chief justice passed the orders on petitions filed by Al-Aqsa Travels and others.
As proceedings started, the petitioner's counsel submitted that the ministry did not wanted to distribute quota on merit to new tour operators.
Additional Attorney General Abdul Hai Gillani told the court that affidavits had been sought from HGOs for provision of facilities. The Haj quota will be allocated to those who will submit affidavits, he added.
He further mentioned that the Saudi government had reduced quota but still a quota of 1010 Hujjaj available with the ministry for allocation.
To a court query regarding blacklisted 70 HGOs by Saudi government, it was informed that the HGOs were cleared and 8300 hujjaj quota had been restored after a minor deduction.
However, the court observed that the ministry should have taken action against HGOs instead of the Saudi government. The tour operators get removed complaints against them after compromise or compensation, the court said and questioned how many HGOs were blacklisted by ministry?
The chief justice adjourning the matter till June 24 sought a report from ministry regarding decisions of Saudi government for clearing blacklisted tour operators.
The chief justice also sought a report on six tour operators, out of 12 under inquiry HGOs, who were cleared by the ministry and pending six cases after decision on them.
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