[art_fan_12]

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee for Religious Affairs on Thursday rejected an increase of Rs 100,000 in Hajj expenses this year and directed the Hajj director general to present a detailed report of hiring of buildings in Makkah at the next meeting.

The committee, which met under the chairmanship of Maulana Muhammad Qasim, expressed its anger over a letter from a Saudi national, complaining that the officials were demanding commission to hire buildings and decided to send a parliamentary committee to Saudi Arabia to investigate the matter. The letter said that Hajj committee’s middleman Kamran Butt was demanding a commission of 200 riyal for each building. In the meantime, the committee asked the religious affairs secretary to take action in the matter.

On the direction of the committee, the secretary asked Hajj director general to submit a report within 24 hours and remove Kamran Butt from the whole matter.

The secretary said that he was aware that a minister was in jail because of Hajj group organisation. He said no new organisation was being given Hajj quota for 2013, but they were only being registered. He said only Rs 1,000 increase had been allowed in the Hajj fare as against demand of Rs 36,000 by the PIA.

The committee also unanimously rejected the blue category formed for the intending pilgrims. The chairman of the committee remarked that corruption would not be allowed in any case and the entire process of Hajj, which is a sacred religious obligation, must be done in a transparent manner.

The committee emphasised that the ministry should make proper arrangements for ensuring timely execution of Hajj flights in consultation with the PIA management and other airlines as it has been observed that pilgrims had to wait for eight to 10 hours at Saudi airports while returning to Pakistan during previous years