ISLAMABAD, June 11: The Senate rejected on Friday the government’s Haj policy for 2010 and approved a report formulated by a special committee calling for a reduction in air fares and overall expenses.

Senators belonging to JUI-F, MQM and Jamaat-i-Islami walked out in protest against the policy, forcing Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi to promise to take the matter back to the cabinet which had the authority to revise it.

The policy unveiled last week puts Haj expenses for pilgrims from Karachi and Quetta at Rs226,000 per head and for those from other stations at Rs238,000 each. Senators criticised the policy and referred it to the special committee of the house.

Dawn:Saturday, 12 Jun, 2010