Government to hold private Haj tour operators accountable

ISLAMABAD: Ijazul Haq, federal religious affairs minister, said on Friday that private tour operators whose performance was not up to mark during Haj will be blacklisted. Addressing a press conference at Pakistan Muslim League House, he said that 150,000 Pakistanis performed Haj this year, of which 95,000 were under the government scheme, while 55,000 went through private tour operators. The minister said that a committee had been formed to examine the performance of the 281 private tour operators that were hired in Mecca, after the government received complaints against at least 15 of them. He said that the tour operators have been asked to register their firms under the companies act so that they could be held accountable if they failed to fulfil their commitments. The minister said that 357 Haj flights were operated from the federal and provincial capitals and other cities of the country, including Faisalabad, Multan and Sukkur He said that the government had established a temporary hospital of 60 beds and three dispensaries in Medina to look after the health of the Pakistani pilgrims. Medicines and other medical equipment worth Rs 8.5 million were provided to these medical centres, where around 250,000 people, including foreigners, were treated. In reply to a question, the minister said that more than six million Saudi Riyals were returned to those Pakistani pilgrims who paid extra money for their accomodation. staff report

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