ISLAMABAD, June 22: Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) information secretary Siddiqul Farooque has criticized the new five-year Haj policy announced by the government, and said tour operators have been given a free hand to loot people.
Speaking at a news conference here on Tuesday, Mr Farooque expressed fears that the new Haj policy had laid the foundation of a scandal that could be bigger than that of the Taj Company.
He said a record increase of Rs6,460 had been made in total expenses of Haj, compared to the expenses borne by the pilgrims last year. It is for the first time in Pakistan's history that every pilgrim will have to pay Rs500 for vaccination, he added.
He said the Indian government had fixed the return airfare to Jeddah from all their cities at Rs18,000 despite higher fuel prices and longer distances than those in Pakistan.
But the airline of "The Islamic Republic of Pakistan", which offers concessional Christmas rates to European passengers, is going to charge Rs34,051 as "worship tax" from every passenger, he regretted.
The PML-N leader said the task for acquisition of residences in Makkah had been assigned to the ministry officials, who had acquired 1,500 residences more than the required number, causing a loss of Rs50 million to the national exchequer last year.
He also criticized the decision, under which private tour operators had been asked to make arrangements for 50,000 pilgrims. Under the scheme, Mr Farooque said, one operator was allowed to cater for a minimum of 185 and maximum 585 pilgrims.
The organizers, he said, were offering packages ranging between Rs200,000 and Rs500,000 per pilgrim according to the facilities. Moreover, he said, the intending pilgrims had been asked to deposit their money directly with the organizers.
He said there was no guarantee against any organizer receiving deposits from more than 585 people. "So there is every possibility that an organizer would lure thousands of intending pilgrims, and thus amass deposits worth millions of rupees at an average rate of Rs300,000 per pilgrim seven months before the Haj season," he said.
Even if an organizer follows the limit of 585 pilgrims, he will receive a total of Rs170 million, while he will have to pay only Rs1.5 million as registration fee and Rs2,000 per pilgrim as security fee, Mr Farooque said. Therefore, he said, the chances of a cheat absconding with the rest of the money without being apprehended could not be ruled out.
He asked the government to learn a lesson from the past scandals of cooperatives and investment companies. "I forewarn the prime minister and his cabinet members, who have approved the Haj policy, of the possibility of a big scandal in the name of the sacred obligation of Haj," he added. The responsibility of such an eventuality will lie with the federal cabinet, he said.
He also flayed the decision to reduce the number of pilgrims under government scheme from 130,000 to 100,000 and increase in the number of pilgrims under private scheme from 10,000 to 50,000. He alleged that the step was taken due to vested interests.
Mr Farooque said the minister for religious affairs had promised to accommodate all 47,546 intending pilgrims, who were dropped in last year's draw, but he had backed out of the promise and this facility had been withdrawn.
Mr Farooque was also critical of the decision to ban children under 18 years of age from performing Haj. "Many parents, who have no one to take care of their children in their absence, will be deprived of their chance to perform Haj due to this ban," he added.
