The federal cabinet meeting is all set to take up a ten-point agenda today (Wednesday) besides a through debate on Karachi violence but the main item on the agenda would be the draft bill on regulating Hajj, Umra, Ziarat business 2008 which had been tabled by PML-Q MNA Riaz Fatyana and others three years ago.
The bill aims at framing laws and rules for the private tour operators who are dealing with the business of Hajj, Umra and Ziarat as it had been observed that most private tour operators receive large amounts for Hajj/Umra tours but provide low standards services. Other tour operators are known to deceive people and deprive them of their money. The matter is accentuated by the fact that no law regulates the affairs of private Hajj/tour operators.
Under the proposed bill, any person operating or intending to organize and operate Hajj and Umra agency shall apply to the Ministry with a certificate from a bank certifying that he holds a capital of not less than five million rupees. The proposed law says that any Hajj/Umra Operator or his firm, which contravenes or fails to comply with the rules or violates the prescribed code of conduct, shall without prejudice to any other action that may be taken against it, be liable one or more of different sanctions, prescribed in this act or rules made there under.
The ministry may, after allowing the licensee an opportunity of showing cause against the action proposed to be taken against him by order in writing, cancel the license in any of the laid down conditions, the bill had proposed. The act also stipulates that “the Government may make rules consistent with this Act in matters relating to Umra/Hajj or any other matter ancillary or supplementary to the provisions of this act.” The cabinet would also discuss the status of implementation of cabinet decisions pertaining to Overseas Pakistanis, Railways Religious Affairs and Revenue Divisions.
The approval, in principle, of the Cabinet would be made to enter into formal negotiations on Air Services Agreement between Pakistan and Latvia while Pak-French joint declaration on economic and commercial partnership would also be made. Besides, approval for signing the agreement between the governments of Pakistan and Senegal on cooperation in combating the illicit trafficking of narcotics drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals would also be taken up.
The approval to start negotiations, signing and ratification of the agreement on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters between Pakistan and Sri Lanka would also be made. The approval regarding amendment and signing of protocol to the agreement between governments of Pakistan and Brunei Darussalam would also be made. The cabinets’ approval in principle would also be given to initiate negotiations on the MoU on scientific and technological cooperation between the governments of Pakistan and Russian federation.
