The blame game over the Haj accommodation has started. One Cabinet member has called for the resignation of another, with Science and Technology Minister Azam Swati calling for the removal of Religious Affairs Minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi. As Mr Swati belongs to the JUI(F), and Maulana Kazmi to the JUP, those who suspect an element of rivalry between the Deobandi and Brelvi schools of thought should be forgiven. However, even after factoring that in, as well as the Prime Ministers imposing of silence on this issue, it should not be forgotten that there was enough of a problem for the Saudi contractor to have offered compensation to all affected pilgrims. Mr Swati, while addressing a ceremony in Mansehra has shown that he is not acquainted with the principle of collective Cabinet responsibility, under which ministers are safe from Cabinet colleagues, even if they belong to a different party. Collective responsibility has been extended even to cover backbenchers, and the Prime Ministers ban was aimed at them. However, here there is the unedifying sight of members of the same coalition sniping at each other. Apart from what the outburst says about the rivalry between the two schools of thought, or among the components of the coalition, or even the effectiveness of the PMs ban, the immediate question facing the government is whether the compensation offered is adequate or not. The government should be careful before accepting inadequate compensation if it wishes to avoid another scandal in a highly sensitive matter. Before thus letting the contractor off the hook, the authorities must work out whether the offer will compensate those affected for the spoiling of the once-in-a-lifetime religious duty. At the same time, the government must not desist from pursuing the enquiries instituted against its officials whose negligence resulted in the whole imbroglio. Unless the guilty are punished, there will be no preventing repetitions, across the whole gamut of government.