The Standing Committee on Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, met under the chairmanship of MNA Hafiz Abdul Karim, was briefed on the award of Hajj quota to tour operators especially after directions of Supreme Court of Pakistan
The chairman apprised the committee that the government has 60pc whereas private tour operators have 40pc quota for pilgrims. According to the direction of Supreme Court of Pakistan, quota of pilgrims should be given to new tour operators who had already given applications and some out of them who have been deprived of their Hajj quota are trying to appeal in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The problem lies with the old tour operators who have not reserved booking of their 50,000 Hajj flights. Its decision should be made within two days.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony joint secretary briefed on the agenda and apprised the committee that 2pc quota was provided by the Hajj Policy Formulation Committee constituted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to 29 new companies on merit basis. The committee expressed displeasure on the provision of wrong quota to the new companies by the M/o Religious Affairs ignoring the high powered committee constituted by the prime minister consisting on the chairman, standing committee of the Senate on the M/o Religious Affairs, chairman, standing committee of the National Assembly on the M/o Religious Affairs, federal minister for religious affairs and the M/o State for Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony.
The committee unanimously decided to reject the list of 29 new companies and suggested that M/o Religious Affairs has 40pc private sector quota of 71684 pilgrims out of which 10pc quota should be decreased of those who have 150 pilgrims or more, which becomes 7168 pilgrims whereas new tour operators should not be given quota of more than 50 pilgrims. MNA Ali Muhammad Khan also suggested to include the small provinces like Balochistan, Kashmir and others while fixing the quota of pilgrims. The committee decided to convene its meeting on July 10, 2017 at 11am in the committee room of M/o Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony.
The meeting was attended by Malik Abdul Ghafar Dogar, Syed Imran Ahmed Shah, Bhawan Das, Ms Kiran Imran Dar, Ramesh Lal, Ali Muhammad Khan, Lal Chand Malhi, Muhammad Kamal, Ms Shahida Akhtar Ali, Sahibzada Muhammad Yaqub, Ms Shagufta Jumani, Maulvi Agha Muhammad, and minister of state for religious affairs and interfaith harmony besides senior officers of the ministry.