Islamabad: Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani and other officials to respond to allegations that the previous Pakistan Peoples Party-led government closed a probe into corruption in organising the Haj pilgrimage. A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, which is investigating a multi-million rupee scam in organising the Haj, also issued notices to the Law Ministry and the Attorney General and directed the respondents to clarify their position regarding the "exemption" granted to the former premier.
The bench observed that the Law Ministry wrote a letter to the Investigation Officer, Hussain Asghar, and directed him not to conduct a probe against Gilani as he enjoyed immunity under the Constitution. The bench directed the Law Ministry to present a copy of the letter and to explain the reasons for writing the letter. The Chief Justice questioned how Gilani could seek exemption as he was no longer the premier.
Gilani had to resign as premier in 2012 after the apex court convicted him of contempt for refusing to reopen a graft case against President Asif Ali Zardari. During the hearing in the apex court, Investigation Officer Asghar alleged that Gilani's assets had increased "dramatically" after the Haj scam. He said the Law Ministry had directed him not to proceed with the inquiry against Gilani.
The Chief Justice sought details about the persons arrested in connection with the scandal and Asghar replied that former Religious Affairs Minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi was
12:38 AM, Apr 10, 2013
New Delhi: Law Minister Salman Khurshid, who is embroiled in a controversy over allegations of misappropriation of funds by his trust, has put off his Haj pilgrimage, according to sources close to him. His decision to put off the week-long visit for Haj also comes amid speculation of an impending reshuffle in the Union Cabinet. Khurshid was scheduled to leave for Haj on Sunday. He has been under attack from...
06:54 PM, Oct 21, 2012
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has slashed the quota for subsidies for the Haj pilgrimage given to dignitaries and the Haj Committee of India. The Supreme Court has slashed the VIP quota to 450 seats from the earlier 3,050 seats. In total, there were 11000 reserved seats, and 3050 were reserved for VIPs. The court has limited the allocation of discretionary quota to the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, External...
02:20 PM, Jul 23, 2012
New Delhi: The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that it has decided to restrict Haj pilgrimage at government subsidy to Muslims only as a "once in a lifetime" affair as against the existing policy of "once in five years". In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the government said the new guidelines have been framed to ensure that priority is given to those applicants who have never performed...
10:47 AM, Apr 15, 2012
New Delhi: In the wake of Minister of External Affairs SM Krishna's statement on Haj subsidy, BJP on Tuesday demanded that the government should make it clear if it was seriously thinking of withdrawing it. "Till the recent Assembly elections, this government was talking about religion-based reservation but now a senior minister is saying that Haj subsidy should be withdrawn. This shows that there is definitely a change of heart...
01:32 AM, Apr 04, 2012
Kochi: Minister of External Affairs S M Krishna has suggested that the Union government is planning to do away with the subsidy given on Haj pilgrimage. Talking to reporters in Kochi on Monday, the External Affairs Minister said that a number of Muslim organizations had demanded the abolition of the subsidy. Krishna said, "A large number of Muslim organisations have approached the Centre seeking abolition of the subsidy concept for...
06:22 PM, Apr 02, 2012
One of the caught was desperate to go to Saudi Arabia on a Haj pilgrimage. ...
03:00 PM, Mar 28, 2010
