The Association of Private Hajj tour operators had gone to Court to complain that the Ministry has imposed an earlier deadline this year even though it generally accepts applications until the end of Ramzan. They cited the Religious Affairs Ministry, Sindh’s Hajj director and others as respondents.
Their lawyer, told the Judges that the association’s members had valid licences to arrange tours to Saudi Arabia for pilgrims to perform Hajj. They have been doing this business smoothly and strictly in accordance with the government’s policy, he added.
For the last many years, the last date to submit application forms for Hajj for private operators was extended up to Ramzan 25, he recalled. But on June 14, the religious affairs ministry issued letters addressed to the all the provincial directors and directed them to complete the process of Hajj applications forms on or before June 18 without fail, he said.
The lawyer argued that no such notification has ever been issued and the letter in question was pasted on the website from where the plaintiffs have gathered information. The main cause of concern is that during this short period of time it is not possible for the plaintiffs and other members of the association to complete all requirements, he claimed. He pleaded the Court declare the earlier deadline illegal and suspend its operation until the final disposal of the case.
On June 17, the court had ordered that the letter issued by the religious affairs ministry will not take effect till June 19, when the stay was further extended till June 24. On Monday, the petitioner’s lawyer informed that the Balochistan High Court had also passed a stay order against the deadline given by the religious affairs ministry for private operators.
Sindh Hajj director Abdul Sattar Samtio, who also appeared on court’s notice, requested for time to file his comments. Allowing his request, the bench further extended the stay order till July 4. However, the bench clarified that the interim order will not affect those pilgrims who have already applied.
Every year Bahria Town employees travels for Hajj. For travel contact http://www.cheap-flight-4u.com
The Chief Executive of Bahria Town, Malik Riaz, while recording his statement before the FIA Special Investigation Unit, said the company bore the Hajj expenses of 200 people including 32 employees in 2009. In 2010, the real estate giant had sent 248 people for Hajj including 56 employees.
Giving details, Malik Riaz said payment for the air tickets of 200 people was made through cheque of Rs17,500,000 numbered 0191690 dated 4-11-2009 drawn in favour of PIA through his Accounts Manager Ghulam Mustafa.
He also said that payment for the 248 pilgrims was made through a cheque of Rs16,800,000 number 0191721 dated11-10-2010 drawn in the name of PIA and cheque number 0191720 of Rs1,694,000 for PIA and cheque number 0191722 of Rs3,200,000 for Southern Travels Private Limited.
Apart from the airfare, he said, Bahria Town paid the Hajj expenses including transport and boarding in Mina and Arafat for most of the people it had sent for the pilgrimage. The company bore full expenses of its employees.
Regarding the ministry of religious affairs’ claim in its letter that it paid for Bahria Town employees’ stay in Makkah and Madina in 2009 and 2010, Malik Riaz said he was willing to pay the amount from his pocket.
Malik Riaz said that he had paid for the Hajj expenses of Babar Qureshi and his wife. The Hajj visas of Bahria Town employees were processed through the interior ministry’s Private Secretary Raja Javed Iqbal.
He said that he has paid Rs2,552,416 to the religious affairs ministry via cheque number 0191738 for 32 employees (Rs79,763 per head) that went for Hajj in 2009. Similarly, for the year 2010, expenses for the stay in Madina for 56 employees of Bahria Town were paid vide cheque number 0191739 worth Rs644,000.
He said that he stands by his statement given on April 7, 2011. He said that he never had any mala fide intentions in paying expenses for the holy pilgrimage. Malik Riaz said he was willing to pay for the Hajj airfares worth Rs39,194,000, then why not much lesser amount for the boarding expenses for 88 of his employees.
The delay in payment was due to the late receipt of bills from the ministry of religious affairs and others.
Later talking to the media, Malik Riaz said that if sending people for Hajj was a crime, he would continue doing so.
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