Islamabad:
The Superior Court of Islamabad (IHC) made requests on Tuesday challenging the distribution of private fees of Hajj. A group of tour operators withdrew from the case, claiming that their names had been included without approval.
Judge Muhammad Azam Khan issued notices to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and other respondents after the initial arguments that claim that the assignment of fees through the Association of Hajj Organizers of Pakistan (HOAP) was illegal. The judge then issued a written order.
Some 12 operators submitted separate requests to withdraw from the case, telling the Court that their names had been added without their consent or knowledge.
Read: Only 3,500 seats remain in the Hajj fee
Represented by the lawyer Chaudhry Usama Tariq, they asked the court to call their names from the list of petitioners. The court accepted its requests.
Previously, the lawyers of the petitioners argued that the federal government was violating the Hajj and Umrah Regulations Law of 2024. They sought the restoration of the private fee of Hajj to 50 percent, the priority for the pilgrims that were lost in 2025 for the pilgrimage of 2026, and the exclusion of HOAP of administrative affairs.
The defenders of Sheikh Khizer Rasheed and Shaheena Shahab appeared on behalf of the petitioners. They argued that the Government’s quota distribution mechanism lacked legality and transparency.
The court has ordered all respondents to present written responses before the next hearing.
