JEDDAH, 6 February 2005 — Pakistan’s Minister of State for Religious Affairs Dr. Amir Liaquat Hussain arrived here to investigate complaints of poor facilities for Pakistani pilgrims during the Haj season. The complaints were against private tour operators and Pakistani Haj mission.
“I’m here on a mission under the directives of President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to investigate the irregularities and meet with ordinary people to find out the truth,” Amir told Arab News.
“We received a lot of complaints regarding poor arrangements and lack of facilities in the buildings rented for Pakistani pilgrims this year. Both the president and premier assigned me to find the loopholes and point out the defaulters and submit my findings to them directly.”
Asked about the three-member inquiry committee set up by Minister for Religious Affairs Ejazul Haq in this regard, he said the committee will submit its report to the Religious Affairs Ministry.
“It has nothing to do with my report that I will submit to the president and premier.”
According to sources here, the committee has almost completed its investigation on 12 out of 34 Haj buildings and will soon submit its report to the Religious Affairs Ministry.
Not only private tour operators but people from the Religious Affairs Ministry were also involved in spoiling the Haj for Pakistani pilgrims, the minister said.
The minister pledged not only to cancel the licenses of guilty tour operators, but also to confiscate the deposit money from those found wanting in providing proper services.
Besides being a minister, Amir anchors GEO TV’s popular program on religious matters “Alim Online”.
