The Supreme Court on Thursday conditionally allowed the Ministry of Religious Affairs to conduct Hajj balloting but refrained it from declaring pilgrims’ names before it hands down its judgement in the matter.
A three-judge bench, headed by acting chief justice Saqib Nisar, conducted the hearing of the case.
During the proceedings, the counsel for tour operators took the stance that permission to minimise the quota for private operators was not taken by a high-level committee.
Upon this, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain asked as to why the policy was designed at the last moment and not beforehand. Justice Saqib Nisar remarked that the court’s orders were not considered while drafting the Hajj policy. The court summoned a written reply from the ministry in this regard and adjourned the hearing.