| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| Govt mulling privatisation of Hajj operations, PAC told |
| 2010-12-12 |
| [Pak Daily Times] The Special Committee of the Public Accounts Committee on Saturday was told that no official orders or instructions had been received from the prime minister on taking the Foreign Ministry onboard in making arrangements for Hajj operations, however, a proposal for handing over Hajj operations to the private sector was under consideration. Ministry of Religious Affairs Secretary Agha Sarvar Qazalbash apprised the committee that recommendations about privatising the Hajj operations were being considered. The committee met with Riaz Pirzada in chair supported by members Asiya Nasir and Malik Pervaiz to review the audit objections regarding the ministries of religious affairs, postal services and railways. Qazalbash said progress had been made in the investigations into the recent Hajj scam, as the case was with the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA), while it was also sub judice so it could not be commented on further, however, he said that cases of corruption in the ministry, especially Hajj operations, were being pursued in compliance of the directions of the PAC. The committee chairman observed that almost five million people gathered at Karbala every year to observe the 10th of Muharram and the private sector managed the entire entourage and lodging process, but not a single complaint had ever been received about mismanagement or corruption. |
| Posted by:Fred |