Committee wants 8 private Haj operators blacklisted

ISLAMABAD: A special committee of the Ministry of Religious Affairs constituted to hear complaints of pilgrims has recommended blacklisting eight private Haj operators owing to their bad performance.

The committee, in its report, has also recommended suspension of 47 private Haj operation companies for one year, 37 companies for two years and one company for three years.

It recommended imposition of fines on 23 companies and confiscation of performance guarantee of 47 private Haj operators while six operators will be kept on observation. It suggested reducing the pilgrims quota of three companies.

It may be pointed out that the Ministry of Religious Affairs, while constituting the special committee headed by a joint secretary, had sought complaints from pilgrims who performed Haj in 2023 through private Haj operators.

The committee recommended punishment for the Haj operators on the basis of complaints received from pilgrims. Some companies did not even enable applicants to perform Haj and some did not provide facilities to pilgrims as promised in agreement.

However, the companies against whom action has been recommended will have a chance to file appeals with the federal secretary, Ministry of Religious Affairs, within 15 days.