Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Monday ordered Competition Commissionof Pakistan (CCI) to complete inquiry into alleged violations of competitive law by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Hajj Group Organizers (HGOs) and submit a report by December 10.
The chief justice passed the orders while hearing petitions filed by Al-Aqsa travels and others.
Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel pointed out that Hujaj faced difficulties during Hajj 2012 whereas HGOs failed to provide them with complete facilities. He said that the ministry should inform court about action taken against such HGOs.
The court observed that HGOs earned Rs 5 million and saved themselves by paying a fine of Rs 100,000 besides getting quota for next year.
The court asked a federal law officer to submit a report about action taken against such HGOs, on next date of hearing.
The CCI council informed the court that inquiry had been initiated on the court directions into the alleged violations of competitive law by the religious ministry and HGOs and documents were being collected for the purpose.
The petitioner’s counsel said that initial information had been given to the CCI in response to a notice.
The court directed the CCI council to complete the inquiry and submit a report by December 10.
LAHORE: Despite several excuses given by legal experts in delay of justice being served, it has been discovered that the real reason is a shortage of judges in the courts, Pakistan Today has learned. A senior advocate, Raja Yasir, while speaking to Pakistan Today, said, “135 numbers of seats are vacant in lower courts and this is the main reason for the delay in cases being resolved. Sources reveal that the current 25 judges of the lower courts receive up to 200 to 250 cases every day. Lahore High Court Registrar Ahmad Naeem refused to comment on the issue despite repeated attempts. “It has been so long, I could not even marry off my daughters. I’ve already sold off all household equipment and now I’m left with nothing,” said Nazira Bibi, who has had a land dispute case pending in the court for over 9 years. Another man named Asfaq Ahmad from Kasoor has been waiting even longer (13 years) and said that this case had been a major financial crisis for him and his family. WALEED MALHI
Shortage of judges causes backlog
The petitioners, in their petition, submitted that cartelization and monopoly in haj quota had badly affected rights of new Hajj Group Organisers.
The petitioners maintained that since 2005, the Hajj quota was being allocated to family members of existing Hajj organisers which limited the scope for new organisers.
They said that the religious affairs ministry had failed to end the cartelization of Hajj quota.