Pakistan’s envoy for judicial commission to investigate into allegations during Haj operation
Ambassador of Pakistan to Saudi Arabia Umer Khan Ali Sherzai on Monday said an independent judicial commission should be constituted to investigate into alleged irregularities by the government officials during the Haj operation.
Talking to a private news channel he said tour operators should also be asked to submit explanations and those who are involved in any kind of irregularity be punished for their wrong doing.
He said he submitted various recommendations to Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi before the Haj operation but he did not bother to give any serious thought to his input.
“I am the ambassador and I gave my input to provide maximum facilities to the pilgrims but the Minister for Religious Affairs did not show any interest and acted on the suggestions of other people,” he said.
Umer Khan Ali Sherzai said no one took him into confidence with regard to Haj operation despite the fact that the ambassadors of every other country in Saudi Arabia were entrusted with the task to monitor activities of their respective Haj missions.
Meanwhile, Minister for Science and Technology Mohammad Azam Khan Swati also pointed out that proof of alleged corruption by the government officials in Haj mission were provided to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani some four months back and now there is a time to take action against wrongdoers.
He said the Minister for Religious Affairs should accept responsibility of alleged corruption and tender his resignation because he is head of the ministry and morally responsible for anything wrong in it.
Responding to the allegations against him Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi said some elements want to get him removed from the ministry due to which they have been leveling baseless allegations against him.
“Those who want to become minister are trying to create a smokescreen and defame me so that they may get the portfolio of the ministry,” he said.