ISLAMABAD  -  The National Assembly Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony on Tuesday directed the Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs to address the issue of Pakistani beggars in Saudi Arabia.

The committee asked the secretary to take up the issue with the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development on priority basis. Earlier, the secretary briefed the committee on the operations, performance and challenges being faced by the ministry and its attached departments. The committee expressed grave concern over Hajj operation and Zaireen management, rather, observed mismanagement, corruption and nepotism in the whole process.

The chair emphasised on proper arrangements to facilitate all the religious tourists in the country and abroad. He desired that the ministry will regulate the framework for Zaireen and also present a schedule of visits of both sides in the next meeting of the committee. The chair directed the Secretary Religious Affairs to complete the composition of the Ziarat Management Committee (ZMC) and write a letter to NA Speaker for the required nomination of one honourable member of the National Assembly as per rules.

The meeting of the committee was held under the chairmanship of Malik Muhammad Aamir Dogar, MNA, in the Parliament House, Islamabad.

At the outset of the meeting, the members of the committee congratulated chairman Malik Muhammad Aamir Dogar and assured him their all-out support. The chair thanked the fellow colleagues for reposing confidence in him by electing him as the chairmen of the Standing Committees. He hoped that with the concerted efforts of the committee members, the committee would aptly play its role of parliamentary oversight on executive.

The committee deferred consideration on “The National Commission for Minorities Bill, 2024” due to absence of its mover. The meeting was attended by Sardar Muhammad Yousaf Zaman, Chaudhry Armghan Subhani, Syed Imran Ahmad Shah, Ms Seema Mohi-ud-Din Jameeli, Ms Shahnaz Saleem Malik, Ms Asiya Naz Tanoli, Dr Nelson Azeem, Ms Mussarat Rafique Mahesar, Ms Shagufta Jumani, Ms Samina Khalid Ghurki, Ahmed Saleem Siddiqui, Muhammad Bashir Khan, Mujahid Ali. The meeting was also attended by the secretary and senior officers from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony.