LHC bins petition challenging Hajj Policy 2019

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday dismissed a petition challenging the Hajj Policy 2019, ARY News reported.

According to details, the high court rejected the petition after declaring it non-maintainable. “The government says that those who have resources can perform Hajj as there will be no subsidy.” The court cannot interfere in a policy decision which has been taken by the government in accordance with the constitution, the LHC bench remarked.

The petition said that the government has increased the amount of the government Hajj scheme for a person from previous Rs. 2,80,000 to 4,56,000 rupees in its new policy.

The government has withdrawn the subsidy offered to the pilgrims. The new government policy has made the pilgrimage 65 percent expensive, the petitioner said.

The petitioner claimed that the Hajj expenses have been increased to illegally earn profit from the scheme.

It is pertinent to mention here that the government withdrew subsidy on the pilgrimage, increasing the expenses by Rs 176,000 for each pilgrim whereas the overall pilgrimage amounted to Rs 456,000.

The federal cabinet approved its first Hajj Policy on January 30. Under the new Hajj Policy more than 1, 84000 Pakistanis will perform the annual ritual of Hajj this year, with 60 per cent quota of pilgrims reserved for the government sponsored Hajj scheme and remaining 40 per cent for the pilgrims who will travel through private hajj tour operators.