The Supreme Court ordered the government on Thursday
to refund SR700 to each of 26,000 pilgrims who suffered due to inadequate
arrangements.
A
four-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was
hearing a case regarding corruption in Haj arrangements.
The
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the court that former Director of Haj
Rao Shakil had made 200 million rupees from Haj operations. An FIA official
told the court: "A major share of this money went to one Zain Sukhera, a
close friend of Gilani's son Qadir Gilani."
Chaudhry asked the
prosecution to produce Sukhera before the court, but the court was informed
that this was not possible as Sukhera was abroad.
Officials told Arab News
that Sukhera is one of the front men of Qadir Gilani and had traveled to Saudi
Arabia 21 times before Haj last year. He had rented buildings for pilgrims that
were not suitable and charged extra money.
Chaudhry directed the FIA
to ascertain views of other parties and produce Sukhera before the court on
Jan. 11 when the court meets again after adjournment.
Imran Shah, member of a
parliamentary committee investigating the scam, alleged that Rao Shakil was
given the job of director Haj even though he faced graft charges. He was
appointed by Premier Gilani at the recommendation of Sukhera.
Sources told Arab News
that despite Qadir Gilani's name coming up during investigations, the FIA did
not care to probe him.
Former federal minister
Azam Swati called the FIA report unsatisfactory. Swati's lawyer said in his
statement that Interior Minister Rehman Malik through a text message got the
name of Rao Shakeel omitted from the exit control list.
Swati, a member of the
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, was sacked after he brought the Haj scam to court.
Speaking to journalists outside the Supreme Court building, he labeled Yousaf
Raza Gilani as the most corrupt prime minister in Pakistan's history.
"Zain Sukhera was involved in corruption worth billions in the Ministry of
Information Technology. He had no business to run Haj operations, but was
deputed by the prime minister," Swati added.
