MANSEHRA: The National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has begun probe into the complaints of more than 500 intending Hajis from Mansehra about fraud.

The complainants had formally informed the NAB that a group of around eight people, including a seminary’s head cleric and woman, received from Rs170,000 to Rs200,000 each from them for sending them on Haj but they didn’t fulfil the commitment and went into hiding ahead of their departure to Saudi Arabia earlier this month.

A NAB official told Dawn that inquiry into the alleged Haj fraud had begun. He said the bureau would thoroughly look into the people’s complaints and that if the suspects were found guilty of fraud, necessary legal action would be taken against them.

Intending pilgrim Tariq Hussain claimed he had paid Rs910,000 to the suspected fraudsters, who went into hiding before his departure for Saudi Arabia. He welcomed the NAB inquiry and said names of the suspects should be placed on the Exit Control List to keep them from fleeing the country.

The complainant alleged that Qari Shah Zareen, the head of a seminary in Lari Adda area, had collected over Rs30 million from 193 intending pilgrims.

He said he along with other victims of the scam recently visited the cleric’s house, where his wife gave them a copy of the agreement signed between her husband and a local woman, Shahnaz, for the refund of money.

Mr. Hussain said the agreement showed that Qari Shah Zareen had deposited over Rs30 million in the bank account of Shahnaz to make arrangements for Haj of 185 people.

“Under the agreement, Shahnaz will pay all the money back to Qari Zareen in four months. We have nothing to do with that agreement and want our money back without delay,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2016