January 12, 2007	Friday	Zilhaj 21, 1427

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ISLAMABAD Jan 11: The returning Hajis, who were interviewed by Dawn on Thursday, complained about maltreatment by PIA staff, immigration delays, their stay in Makkah and Medina and higher Haj expenses.

One of the fresh arrivals, Nasim from Peshawar, said PIA had hired poor quality jets and its ticketing and cabin staff showed a lack of compassion.

Another Haji complained about high Haj expenses and said: “Iranian government meets half the Haj expenses, while Hajis from India pay only around Rs70,000 which also covers good-quality meals during the entire pilgrimage and transport in Makkah, Medina and Jeddah.” The Hajis also accused the ministry officials of corruption in issuing licenses to private tour operators.

A number of pilgrims said that the government’s handling of the Haj operation through private tour operators was ‘a total flop’.

Another pilgrim said that doctors at a Pakistani hospital had advised him to decrease the frequency of prayers as a cure for severe pain in his toes but when he went to a Turkish hospital, doctors there had treated him carefully besides giving away medicines that relieved him of his pain.

“Haj pilgrims normally have to wait for around two to two and half hours at immigration booths in Jeddah but people travelling on international passports have to wait well over six hours,” said federal Minister for Religious Affairs Ijazul Haq.

The minister rejected charges of corruption but admitted that some complaints were genuine, including the ones against 15 private Haj operators and PIA, and said any private Haj operator who did not provide promised facilities “will be black listed, his security of Rs1.5 million will be confiscated and the aggrieved Hajis will be compensated.”

He said that none of the 589 enlisted Haj operators had received Haj quotas against payment of bribes.

Most of the Hajis complained that they were housed too far away in Makkah and Medina.

Mr Haq justified the pilgrims’ accommodations and said that no one was given lodgings over one and half kilometer away from Masjid-i-Haram.