Who was sent to Haj this year on govt expense, asks PAC

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee has sought details of Khaddam-ul-Haj sent to Saudi Arabia during the Haj season and a list of those who went with the federal minister, secretary and other officers for free Haj.

Also, it expressed strong annoyance over the foreign secretary’s absence from the meeting despite being summoned by the committee on the issue of administrative affairs of Pakistan’s buildings in Makkah and Madina.

The meeting of the Public Accounts Committee was held under Chairman Noor Alam Khan on Thursday in which the audit paras related to the Ministry for Religious Affairs for the financial year 2019-20 were examined.

Noor Alam Khan said that they will not allow free Haj and if the family of a minister, secretary or MNA goes for free Haj, the money will be recovered and deposited in the treasury of the Government of Pakistan.

Alam Khan directed the concerned ministry and AGPR to provide all the details within 15 days, including the list of those who went to perform free Haj with the federal minister, secretary and other officers. Religious Affairs Secretary Aftab Durrani said that the list has been sent to the committee on September 30. On this, Noor Alam reprimanded the staff of PAC wing of the National Assembly Secretariat and said that if any report comes, it should be sent to the members immediately.

Officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs said the ministry had sent 664 Khaddam-ul-Hajjaj to Saudi Arabia. Noor Alam inquired that whether any money was received from these Khaddam-ul-Hajjaj. The secretary of Ministry of Religious Affairs said that all servants go to Saudi Arabia for free.

Noor Alam said that this is a poor country but everyone wanted to be accommodated on government expenses. He said the committee should also be informed about the expenses incurred on sending Khudam-ul-Hajjaj and helpers.

The matter of property of Nawab of Bahawalpur in Saudi Arabia was also considered by the committee. The secretary Religious Affairs ministry told the committee that the Nawab of Bahawalpur had five properties in Makkah and one in Madinah; from 1906 to 1966 these buildings were managed by managers.

He said the grandson of a Saudi manager filed a claim on one building and half of another building, which were given to the grandson of this manager. No one filed an appeal in Saudi Arabia against this decision and three buildings of the Pakistani Embassy were occupied. He said two buildings were demolished due to development projects and the proceeds were used to buy shares.

The PAC summoned the foreign secretary for an explanation on the management issues of buildings in Saudi Arabia and directed him to attend the meeting immediately. Noor Alam Khan said that if the foreign secretary was not available, the additional secretary or DG should attend.

Secretary Religious Affairs ministry said that the building of Pakistan House in Medina was demolished by the Saudi authorities in 1988 for Haram expansion. He told the committee that two buildings worth 19 million riyals were purchased out of this amount, while the existing Pakistan House in Medina had also been affected by the expansion project. “The existing Pakistan House will also be demolished,” he told the committee.

The secretary religious affairs said that Pakistan has 9.7 million Saudi Riyals in the Saudi endowment fund, and they wanted to buy buildings in Makkah and Medina with this money. According to Saudi laws, no other country or foreign citizen can own land in the kingdom. The Saudi rules are very strict, even the building in Saudi Arabia is allowed to be rented for only one year.

The committee was further informed that the issue of purchase of buildings will be discussed with the prime minister.

Noor Alam Khan asked why the foreign secretary did not come to the meeting. The additional foreign secretary said the foreign secretary had gone to receive Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.