The Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony met today i.e 23rd October, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. in Committee Room No. 07, Parliament House, Islamabad.
 
2.         The Committee approved the minutes of its last meeting.
 
3.         The Committee deferred agenda item No. 3 pertaining to the National Commission for Minorities Bill, 2015 and Pakistan Minorities Right Commission Bill, 2016 due to absence of Movers on the said Bills.
            
4.         The Committee has shown its displeasure about the implementations of its recommendations, which were issued by the Committee before the Hajj 2017. However, the Secretary, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony informed that said recommendations were received to Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony from this Committee, while the Cabinet had approved the Hajj policy 2017. He further assured that recommendations of the Committee would be considered on priority basis in future. Some Members of the Committee were of their opinion that third party audit should be recommended to inquire about the Hajj 2017, expenditures/funds etc.
 
5.         The Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony informed the Committee that a Committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Minister of State for reassessment of all private tour operators. The Committee was also briefed by the Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs regarding issuance of Mujalma Visas and matters relating with them. He said that the Mujalma Visas were issued by the Embassy of Saudi Arabia on its discretionary authority.  He further informed that Saudi Arabia Government had offered 5000 Mujalma Visas to Government of Pakistan, which were regretted due to shortage of time for necessary arrangements at Saudia. However, a request was made to Saudia Government for enhancement of said numbers of Visas in Hajj 2018 quota.
 
6.         While considering the matter regarding problems being faced by the Hujjaj who were travelling from Quetta by Pakistan International Airline (PIA). The Secretary informed that these problems were occurred due to mismanagement of PIA. The Committee decided that Civil Aviation would be called in its next meeting to discuss the future planning for Hajj 2018. The Committee recommended that Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony will provide the details of last 03 years hardship Hajj quota issued on the recommendations of the Members of the National Assembly.
 
7.                     Meeting was attended by Ms. Shagufta Jumani, Syed Imran Ahmed Shah, Sahibzada Faiz-ul-Hassan, Ms. Kiran Imran Dar, Syed Amir Ali Shah Jamote, Mr. Ramesh Lal, Mr. Ali Muhammad Khan, Mr. Muhammad Kamal, Molvi Agha Muhammad and Ms. Shahid Akhtar Ali, MNAs and besides the senior officers of the Ministry of Religions Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony.