The government’s new Haj Policy 2014 has been challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC).
An application was filed Friday in the LHC in which the petitioner raised objections over allotment of quota to private Haj operators and government’s Haj fares.
The petitioner said that under the government’s scheme the Haj package will cost over Rs 272,000 for those travelling from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but the private operators were charging over Rs 500,000.
The LHC has summoned attorney general of Pakistan for assistance in the matter.
Over 143,000 pilgrims will perform Haj this year under the new Haj policy announced in April this year. The original Haj quota of 179,210 allocated to Pakistan for year 2012 was reduced by 20 percent last year due to expansion plan of Haram Sharif and was accordingly fixed as 143,368.
The Haj Scheme 2014 will be implemented through government scheme and private Haj group organizers (HGOs) in the ratio of 50 percent each.
According to the new Haj policy, anyone who has performed Haj during the last five years will not be eligible to perform Haj this year.
