ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani directed the Minister for Religious Affairs and Minister for Science and Technology to stop giving statements against each other, as an inquiry had already been initiated to fix the responsibility of malpractices in the Haj arrangements.
Following Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Azam Khan SwatiÂ’s statement holding Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Hamid Saeed Kazmi, responsible for all the mismanagement and corruption during the current Haj and a tit-for-tat by the latter by filing damages sue against the former, Prime Minister Gilani intervened in the matter and directed both the ministers to stop washing each othersÂ’ dirty linen in public to the disadvantage of the already corruption-tainted Government.
Sources aware of the development informed TheNation that Premier Gilani during his telephonic contact with Hamid Saeed Kazmi further directed him to keep his hands off in the blame game and let the matter be settled with Saudi Government at government-to-government level.
In his chat with Azam Khan Swati, the PM asked him to avoid giving any further statement against the person of Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and let the inquiry report come on the overall mismanagement and malpractices in the Haj arrangements.
The sources further said that Hamid Saeed Kazmi briefed the Prime Minister about some of the issues relating to Haj mismanagement and the problems faced by the Pakistani pilgrims but Premier Gilani directed him to present a detailed report to him covering all the issues relating to the subject.
It is pertinent to mention here that Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Hamid Saeed Kazmi, had served Federal Minister of Science and Technology, Azam Swati, with Rs100 million defamation notice for levelling allegations against him regarding the Haj scandal.
According to media reports, Hamid Saeed Kazmi said that if Azam Swati had any proof he should make it public and charged that following the passage of 18th Amendment a number of ministries would be abolished and that was the reason a few of the ministers were eying on his Ministry and wanted his ouster.
Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Azam Khan Sawati, a JUI-F leader, was the first to hold Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Hamid Saeed Kazmi, for lousily handling the Haj affairs.
Agencies add: On Sunday, while addressing a ceremony in Mansehra, Swati demanded removal of Federal Minister Saeed Kazmi for poor arrangements and corruption scam during Haj.
“He (Kazmi) is responsible for robbing the pilgrims and mismanagement, and he should be removed,” he remarked while adding that no official could even imagine to do anything wrong without the consent of the minister concerned.
Premier Gilani asked Kazmi to refrain from issuing statements to media, saying, “It is a critical issue and we don’t want any kind of confrontation,” adding, “These statements are contrary to the country’s integrity.”
The prime minister said shifting of responsibility and the ongoing blame game were unacceptable, adding that the Foreign Ministry would in future coordinate all the arrangements for the Haj as had been decided by the cabinet.
He expressed profound appreciation for the excellent arrangements that the government of the Saudi Arabia has always made for the pilgrims. But promised to deal the corrupt elements with an iron hand.