The Lahore High Court on Monday issued notice to the Ministry of Religious Affairs for April 11, on a petition challenging the increase in Hajj expenses for Hajj 2013.LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial heard a petition regarding the increase in Hajj expenses.The petitioner informed the court that ...

RIYADH (AFP) - Saudi health authorities downplayed Tuesday the impact of a possible outbreak of a virus from the family of deadly SARS on its forthcoming Hajj pilgrimage, stressing that the cases remain rare. Pilgrims have begun to arrive in Saudi Arabia for the ritual that represents the ...

The Supreme Court Wednesday ordered for immediate re-instatement and posting in FIA of the suspended police officer Hussain Asghar, who earlier was investigating into the Hajj corruption scandal.The three-member bench headed by the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was hearing the Hajj ...

The bail petition of former federal minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi who was under arrest for the last one year on the charges of corruption in the arrangements of Hajj-2010 was granted by the trial court on Monday.Special Judge Muhammad Ahmad Farooqui directed him to submit two surety bonds of Rs100,000 ...

The notification of Gilgit Baltistan police chief Husain Asghar's suspension was presented to the Supreme Court during hajj corruption case hearing on Wednesday.The three members’ bench of the apex court headed by the Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry heard the Hajj Corruption case.The ...

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry Wednesday said the prestige of the judiciary will not be compromised at any cost, adding defying the court orders has turned into the fashion and standard practice.Heading a three-member bench hearing corruption case, the Chief Justice ...

A Special Judge Central of Rawalpindi court on Wednesday indicted Hamid Saeed Kazmi, former federal minister for religious affairs, and three others in Hajj corruption case. Adjourning the hearing till June 5, the court has indicted Kazmi, Rao Shakeel and Aftabul Islam and also summoned 10 ...

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to withdraw transfers of those investigation officers who were probing the Hajj corruption case. The CJ reprimanded the FIA officials as to why Hussain Asghar and Javed Bukhari was transferred while they were probing Hajj ...

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi on Friday said that if the Parliament allows, Hajj could be privatized. Replying to queries in a session of Standing Committee for Religious Affairs being chaired by Chairman Maulana Qasim, Hamid said that 1,000 Riyals are being returned to ...

The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan has formed a five member bench on Friday to probe into Haj corruption. The notice has been issued to the Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi. According to a private television channel, the five member bench will be headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar ...

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday directed Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi to take back the Rs100 million compensation notice that Kazmi had sent to Federal Minister of Science and Technology Azam Khan Swati over corruption allegations pertaining to the Hajj ...

The first batch of Hajj pilgrims Sunday arrived through a private airlines flight here, while a flight of the national airline carrying pilgrims will also return today, a private TV reported. The first flight of a private airline carrying Hajj pilgrims from Jeddah landed at Lahore airport this ...

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested former Director General Hajj, Rao Shakeel and Trading Corporation of Pakistans (TCP) Director Adil Mokhar on charges of corruption on Saturday. The two have been arrested on charges of embezzlement and financial irregularities. According to sources, ...

President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday asked the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs to submit a report on alleged mismanagements of the Hajj operations and directed that the facts be ascertained so that action could be taken against those whose dereliction of duty created inconvenience for the ...

Federal government has not dismissed or suspended from service Director General (DG) Rao Shakeel from service who has been called back from Saudi Arabia on the report from parliamentary committee on religious affairs in connection with his involvement in alleged financial irregularities in Hajj ...

Karachi's first Hajj flight carrying 450 pilgrims departed to Jeddah as part of national airline PIA Hajj operation. PK-1661 left from Karachi's Hajj Terminal at 5:50am for Saudi Arabia with more than 450 pilgrims onboard. Many social and religious organizations installed special camps at the Hajj ...

Despite heavy floods in most parts of the country, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has not received any application so far from the intending pilgrims, requesting withdrawal from performing Hajj. It was expected that a large number of the successful candidates would contact the ministry to get ...

The Federal Cabinet on Wednesday did not approve the new Hajj policy for Year 2010 despite its presence on the agenda as the meeting dispatched the policy to the Ministry of Law for further review, report said. The cabinet, met with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in chair, was scheduled to ...

The first flight carrying a batch of 329 Hajj pilgrims landed at Quretta airport, two-and-half hour late than the scheduled time. Governor of Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi had to receive the pilgrims but he couldnt reach to Quetta airport in time. The returned pilgrims complained lack of ...

Heavy rainstorms soaked pilgrims and flooded the road into Macca, snarling Islam's annual hajj as millions of Muslims headed for the holy sites. The downpours add an extra hazard on top of intense concerns about the spread of swine flu. Pilgrims in white robes holding umbrellas, some wearing face ...

There would be no further extension in last date of submitting Hajj applications under the private scheme after the deadline of August 31, said Joint Secretary (Hajj) Ministry of Religious Affairs Aftab-ul-Islam Raja here Sunday. The Ministry will not entertain any application after expiry of the ...

Saudi Arabia is likely to ban the elderly and children from the hajj this year to limit the risk of swine flu, but this will not change country quotas for the pilgrimage, a health official said Saturday. Dr. Khaled Marghlani, spokesman for the Saudi health ministry, said the government is expected ...

As the number of applications for Hajj under government scheme has surpassed the reserved quota, the computerized balloting for selection of 80,000 intending pilgrims will be held here on August 6. The applications under the government schemes have exceeded to 100,000 mark so that the balloting ...

After offering the Fajr prayer at Mina, the pilgrims are moving towards Arafat for performing the most important phase of the Hajj, Wuqoof-e-Arafat. Millions of the pilgrims of Hajj, coming from all over the world, stayed for one day at Mina, the city of tents, in the first phase of Hajj and ...

Hajj pilgrims in their first phase of Manasik-e-Hajj have started arriving Mina after 'Fajar' (morning) prayers today. Millions of Hajj pilgrims, who had arrived in this holy city here, after their stay and offering Namaz-e-Fajar, now moving towards the city of tents Mina, where they are being ...

In an attack claimed by the Taliban, two gunmen on a motorcycle shot and killed Afghanistan's most high-profile female police officer as she prepared to leave for work in the southern city of Kandahar. The police in the city said she died instantly from gunshot wounds to her head. Her 18-year-old ...