Ministry takes notice of Hajj booking refusals
The religious affairs ministry has sought details from private Hajj operators after pilgrims complained they were being turned away from bookings.
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has taken notice of complaints that private Hajj tour operators are refusing to accept booking applications under the government’s private Hajj scheme, according to reports by the Associated Press of Pakistan, Arab News and Radio Pakistan.
The reports said the ministry acted after receiving complaints from intending pilgrims who said they were being turned away by private operators. None of the reports carried a figure for the number of complaints or named a specific operator. The reports were published on 21 September.
Radio Pakistan said the Ministry of Religious Affairs took notice of private Hajj operators refusing bookings. Arab News reported that Pakistan had taken notice of Hajj booking denial complaints under the private scheme. The Associated Press of Pakistan said the ministry had taken notice of complaints over Hajj booking refusals.
Under Pakistan’s Hajj policy, the national quota set by Saudi Arabia is split between the government scheme and private tour operators. Operators in the private scheme are licensed by the ministry and are required to accept eligible bookings until their allocated quota is filled. Pakistan’s Hajj quota is announced by Saudi Arabia each year, and the private scheme handles a significant share of the total quota.
The ministry, commonly referred to as MORA, has previously warned that it would cancel the licences of operators found violating the policy, including those who refuse bookings, overcharge or fail to provide promised services. In past years, pilgrims have complained of similar refusals from private operators as the Hajj season approaches.
No formal statement from the ministry was included in the reports. The ministry has not yet said what action it will take against operators found to have refused bookings. The private Hajj scheme has long been a source of complaints over pricing, accommodation and refunds. Complaints about booking refusals typically rise in the weeks before the Hajj application window closes. The three reports did not include statements from any private Hajj operator.
This is a developing story and will be updated once the ministry issues a formal statement.
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