Hajj corruption case: Hamid Saeed challenges trial court verdict in high court

It should be noted that special court central had sentenced Kazmi, 16 years in jail in the Hajj corruption case.

In the petition, the former minister stated that hiring buildings for the pilgrims’ stay during Hajj was not his responsibility neither he had appointed Rao Shakeel as Director General (DG) Hajj.

He pleaded the court to declare the special judge’s sentence as null and void.

The Hajj corruption scandal rocked the country between 2010 and 2012, and led to the departure of both Hamid Saeed Kazmi and the ex-minister for science and technology Azam Swati from the federal cabinet. Kazmi also spent nearly two years in prison over charges of irregularities in the 2009 Hajj operation.

The Hajj scandal came out in the open after the Supreme Court had took suo motu notice of the corruption and plight of the Hajj pilgrims in year 2010.

The Special Court Central Judge Malik Nazir Ahmad handed 40 years jail term to Director General (DG) Hajj Rao Shakeel. Former additional secretary for religious affairs Aftab Ahmad was also awarded 16 years sentence.