LAHORE – The Lahore High Court on Wednesday restrained the Ministry of Religious Affairs from allotting Haj quota to 721 old Haj Group Organisers (HGO) under new National Haj Policy 2012.
Justice Umar Ata Bandial directed to allot haj quota to old as well as new HGOs who qualify under new policy. The court passed the order on a civil miscellaneous application filed by Travel Channel International (PVT) Limited and others in a pending matter.
Petitioner’s counsel Azhar Siddque pleaded that the religious affairs ministry was bound to allot quota to new and old HGOs after enrolment as per Haj Policy 2012 but it violated the policy and allotted quota to 721 old HGOs which was against the verdict of apex courts.
The counsel pointed out that if the enrolment was made as per Haj Policy 2012 then more than fifty percent old HGOs would disqualify as they did not fulfil the required conditions. The court after hearing the arguments barred ministry to allot Haj quota to old HGOs alone.
The court ordered to allot quota to old as well as new HGOs who qualify under new policy. The application was filed in a pending petition pleading to issue appropriate directions to the respondents including religious affairs ministry and others for associating the stakeholders and non-governmental associations in making Haj policies friendly.