SHC directs Cabinet Division to finalise Hajj policy 2017 Disputed 10 percent reduction in Hajj tour

operators’ quota not to be implemented until further court orders

The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered the cabinet division to finalise the Hajj policy, 2017 at the earliest; however, the disputed 10% reduction of the private Hajj tour operators’ quota was not to be brought into effect till further orders of the court.

The modified interim order came on a lawsuit filed by private Hajj tour operators against the decision to reduce their quota from 50% to 40%. The court had on a previous hearing ordered the ministry of religious affairs that the Hajj directorate shall not finalise the reduction in quota.

Filing a statement before the court on behalf of the religious affairs ministry, Additional Attorney General Salman Talibuddin maintained that the policy had been forwarded to the cabinet division for finalisation.

He questioned the maintainability of the suit before the policy’s finalisation. The AAG maintained that considering the previous interim orders of the court, the cabinet division may not be able to finalise the Hajj policy, therefore, requesting the court to modify its previous interim order.

The SHC’s single bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar observed that since Hajj policy had already been sent for consideration to the cabinet division, the tour operators should wait for the policy to be finalised.

The court, however, further observed that if the cabinet division decided to uphold the 10% reduction then the disputed reduction would not be brought into effect in the finalised Hajj policy till further orders of the court.

The AAG submitted that as soon as the policy is finalized he would submit the same with his statement.  The court after modifying the interim order adjourned the hearing till April 17.