ISLAMABAD, Feb 15: A PIA flight carrying the first batch of Hujjaj arrived here on Saturday leaving behind 170 passengers who reportedly failed to reach the Jeddah Airport in time as arrangements made to transport them to the airport proved to be poor, officials said.

A total of 433 Hujjaj were scheduled to fly home by the first return flight, but only 263 could make it. The return process was expected to be completed by March 18, the officials said.

The ministry of religious affairs and PIA officials said the buses carrying the remaining (170) Hujjaj scheduled to fly home by the first flight, could not reach the Jeddah Airport in time and the airliner was forced to leave the airport according to scheduled time.

Haji Mumtaz Ahmed, who returned by the PIA flight, told Dawn that their Muallim kept them waiting for transportation to Jeddah Airport from Asr time (on Friday) to 1am (Saturday) as a result of which many Hujjaj were left out.

Federal Minister for Information Sheikh Rashid Ahmed who received the first flight in place of Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali due to the latter’s pressing official engagements, told newsmen that the PIA officials had been instructed to arrange early return of those Hujjaj who were left behind.

He said the prime minister was himself heading an inquiry committee to look into the affairs of the religious affairs ministry. He regretted that the ministry’s failure had deprived over 6000 people of an opportunity to perform Haj this year.

The minister also promised stern action against those officials of the ministry who had been sluggish in providing visas to around 6000 pilgrims who could not make it and then failed to make proper arrangements for the Hujjaj in the holy lands.

Several Hujjaj interviewed at the airport complained in unison against inadequate accommodation, scanty arrangements for drinking water and a bad transport system which they said was totally contrary to the promises made by the Ministry of Religious Affairs before their departure.

In all, 135,000 people performed Haj this year.

A couple of aged women belonging to Abbottabad said they were stricken by illness due to the maltreatment meted out by the Haj staff in Makkah and Mina.

They said that a group of five women was stuffed in a room along with a man, forcing the women to put up a curtain between their beddings.

Jeewan Khan and Mumtaz Ahmed said they had paid SR2200 for A Class accommodation but the residence given to them was of low category. They said Khuddamul Hujjaj did well and medical aid was prompt but the attitude of Muallim was not good towards them.

The defence ministry and airport security staff denied journalists’ entry into the Apron to receive the returning Hujjaj. Instead, only a handful official media people, including PTV cameramen, Radio Pakistan, news agency and PID were given written permission to cover the occasion.