ISLAMABAD Ministry of Religious Affairs, while terming the Supreme Courts recent judgement in the case of Haj tour operators as unclear and ambiguous, has sent it to Law Ministry for legal interpretation. Reliable sources informed that the Ministry of Religious Affairs has sent the courts decision to the Law Ministry under the pretext of seeking legal advice on it but it was an effort to give the matter entirely in the hands of Law Minister Babar Awan to use this window for vested interests. In its June 17 verdict, a three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, while dismissing the case, asked more than 60 Haj tour operators to approach the Religious Ministry for Haj quota. In its written order, the court also directed the said Ministry to follow the Supreme Court 2009 order that was bounding the Ministry to enlist and enrol the tour operators subsequently for Haj quota. According to details, when these companies approached the Religious Ministry, they were told by the Ministrys officials that their case had been dismissed but when tour operators insisted that in the same order the courts directions were present for the Ministry to follow its 2009 verdict, then they were told that the courts decision was not clear and therefore it had been referred to the Ministry of Law for legal interpretation. Joint Secretary of Religious Ministry, Aftab-ul-Islam Raja, when contacted, told this scribe that the courts order was not clear so the Ministry sent this case to the Law Ministry for correct interpretation. He said that on one hand the court had dismissed the cases but on the other hand it directed the companies to approach the Ministry. To a query, he replied that his Ministry was not bound to follow 2009 verdict of the Supreme Court this year. When the written order was produced before him, he said that this order was only applicable in January 2009 and now new arrangements would be required. It is clearly mentioned in the Supreme Courts June 17, 2010 verdict that Ministry of Religious Affairs would follow the 2009 verdict of it to give the Haj quota to the Haj tour operators. It is relevant to mention here that the Joint Secretary told the court on 17th of this month that 2009 order of the apex court would be followed in this regard and tour operators would be facilitated according to rules and regulations.