ISLAMABAD - Pakistans Haj Policy is framed in the light of the Saudi Arabian Haj Policy, said the former law minister Babar Awan while arguing his case. He said it was the decision of the Saudi Kingdom to decide about the allotment of the quota to tour operators adding that about 726 Haj tour operators applied and out of them the government sent 700 applications to Saudi government, which approved only 650. A four-member special bench comprising Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain heard the appeals of tour operators against the Lahore High Court verdict. The LHC on June 6, 2011, had declared the Haj quota distribution under Haj Policy 2011 illegal and directed for transparent distribution of the quota. The court had barred the Ministry of Religious Affairs from carrying out the process of allocating Haj quota to private tour operators. Akram Sheikh, the counsel of tour operators, said 95 per cent arrangements had been completed therefore Haj Policy should be rejected at this stage. He said the court did not hear the attorney general in this case. He said in 2006 the federal cabinet had decided about the quota and prepared a transparent policy. He argued if the Supreme Court upheld the LHC verdict on the Haj Policy, 90,000 Hajis (pilgrims) would suffer, adding this was not the petition of ordinary citizens but of tour companies. He said the LHC without any evidence had declared that Haj Policy was based on malafide. When Justice Shakirullah asked him if he had any proof of what he said, the counsel of tour operators said the LHC had directed to register all the Haj tour operators. Babar Awan said but the government had no plan to register any new operator this year. Justice Javed said it was easy to level charges, but very difficult to prove them. Ahmer Bilal Sofi, another counsel of tour operators, pleaded that the LHC decision was violation of the agreement signed with the Saudi government. There are certain deadlines in the accord, which need to be honoured, he said. Justice Javed Iqbal questioned if it was memorandum or agreement, on which Bilal said it was an agreement adding that it could not be possible to frame new Haj Policy due to insufficient time. He said the government had allotted quota to those, who had experience.