ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday postponed the lucky draw for this year’s Haj scheme following the stay order issued by the Sindh High Court (SHC).

The draw was scheduled to be held on Friday.

On a petition filed by a private Haj and Umrah tour operator, the SHC’s Sukkur bench has stopped the government from conducting the draw till Jan 31.

On Thursday, the Lahore High Court also ordered the Ministry of Religious Affairs to stop conducting balloting of 17 per cent quota of the government Haj scheme.

The ministry has decided to challenge the SHC’s order in the Supreme Court.

The decision to postpone the draw was taken at a meeting presided over by Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, the minister said the government would approach the apex court because the Haj Policy 2018 was formulated on its directives. He alleged that those approaching courts against the policy had their vested interests.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2018