ISLAMABAD – A sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony has decided to summon all individuals involved in the allocation of Hajj quotas to private operators, including a former federal minister, as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the 2025 Hajj arrangements.
Chaired by Senator Aon Abbas Buppi, the sub-committee met on Friday to deliberate on the reduction of private Hajj quotas and the awarding of Mashaer Services tender to M/s Al-Rajhi. The committee directed the Ministry of Religious Affairs to furnish all correspondence related to Hajj operations since August 2024, including records of internal communications and dissenting opinions.
The meeting was attended by Senators Bushra Anjum Butt and Danesh Kumar, alongside the Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. During the session, Senator Buppi announced the finalisation of the sub-committee’s Terms of Reference (TORs), with a specific focus on uncovering the reasons that prevented 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims from performing Hajj this year.
The sub-committee will investigate the controversial decision to cluster Hajj organisers (Munazim), which reduced their number from 900 to just 41, and whether this decision improperly bypassed the role of the Hajj Organisers Association of Pakistan (HOPE). It will also probe the transfer of 50 million Saudi Riyals from private Hajj operators to the Directorate General of Hajj’s accounts and the blocking of Hajj application IDs.
Senator Buppi questioned how such fundamental restructuring in pilgrim management was implemented without broader consultation. He directed the ministry to submit a copy of the minutes from the committee that awarded the Mashaer Services contract to Al-Rajhi, as well as a letter from the former federal minister who reportedly disagreed with the process. Dissenting notes from four committee members are also to be submitted.
The sub-committee has set a timeline for addressing these issues and will commence proceedings after the conclusion of the current Hajj season.
