ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA) on Wednesday requested the Supreme Court (SC) to combine the multiple cases it is facing regarding the 2018 Hajj policy.
A media outlet reported that the ministry, which is currently facing multiple cases in the Lahore and Sindh high courts regarding its policy, has asked the court to hear all the cases as one in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The petitions filed in provincial courts had declared the new Hajj policy against Sharia as it prevents individuals from performing the pilgrimage more than once within a stipulated period of time.
In lieu of the petitions, the LHC and SHC ordered that the Haj Lucky Draw 2018, be postponed until the matter is resolved. Ministry officials said that the lucky draw was scheduled to be held on January 26 but a new date to conduct it will be announced soon.
The LHC had also ordered the ministry to stop conducting balloting of 17 per cent quota of the government Hajj scheme.
The government Haj quota was increased to 67 per cent this year, keeping in view that though many pilgrims seek the services of private companies for Hajj purposes, there also thousands of people who apply for the annual government scheme that involves a lucky draw.