Private hajj operators warned: resolve disputes or lose quotas

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs, chaired by Senator Attaullah Rehman, convened to discuss the upcoming Hajj arrangements, focusing on the role of private operators and the government’s involvement.

Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Dr Zulfiqar Haider, announced plans for the government to gradually withdraw from managing Hajj operations, potentially leaving the process entirely in the hands of private operators next year. He emphasised that private operators must withdraw their ongoing court cases, or their quotas will be canceled.

Initially, 904 private companies were registered by the Ministry for Hajj operations. However, following Saudi Arabia’s instructions, this number was drastically reduced to 162 this year. Dr Haider explained that this year, each of the 46 selected companies received a quota of 2,000 pilgrims, revised upwards from 500.

While private operators filed 80 complaints, the government’s Hajj scheme received 18,000 grievances.

A representative of the private operators urged Saudi authorities not to engage with the original 904 companies, given the reduction to 46. Dr Haider further warned that if the matter remained unresolved, Saudi Arabia might cancel the private Hajj quota altogether.

Tensions between the Ministry and private operators have escalated over the reduction of companies. Dr Dinesh Kumar, a minority member of the committee, presented proposals defending the private sector’s role. However, Committee Chairman Maulana Atta Ur Rehman lightened the atmosphere by humourously commenting on Dr Kumar’s knowledge of Hajj.

Dr Haider stressed that if private operators failed to resolve their legal disputes and finalise agreements with the Ministry, their quotas would be canceled, possibly shifting to countries like India or Afghanistan. He reiterated that the government must comply with Saudi Arabia’s policies, as the quotas were allocated through a formal agreement, making any revisions unfeasible.

The committee also expressed concerns about the potential damage to Pakistan’s reputation if the private Hajj quota were revoked. They urged operators to finalise agreements without further delay, warning that any unauthorised financial transactions with Saudi Arabia would be illegal.

Furthermore, the committee discussed the Hajj labour quota for low-income employees, allocating 300 seats for workers in the public and corporate sectors (Scale 1-9). These employees, including labourers and miners, are eligible for the quota, with their expenses covered by their respective institutions. Organisations must submit nominations by January 15, 2025, and if demand exceeds the number of available seats, a lottery will be held.

Also read: Peshawar BRT achieves new milestones in 2024