Pakistan’s parliament spending watchdog raises alarm over PKR 12M Hajj fund fraud

Pakistan’s Public Accounts Committee, the parliament’s main body for scrutinizing government spending, on Tuesday raised alarm over the alleged embezzlement of 12 million PKR (about $43,000) in funds meant for Hajj pilgrimages, reportedly committed by an official in the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

The committee is chaired by Junaid Akbar, a member of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

Lawmakers met to review audit reports on the ministry’s management of Hajj operations, which organize services for Pakistani pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia.

Audit officials told the committee that an assistant accountant, identified as Kaleem, diverted the funds before fleeing abroad after obtaining a Canadian visa.

Representatives from the ministry confirmed Kaleem’s dismissal from his post and said they had asked the Federal Investigation Agency, Pakistan’s main investigative body, to register a criminal case.

Committee members, however, criticized the ministry for acting too slowly and for failing to prevent the fraud.

“If an assistant accountant is able to commit such fraud, what is the director general of Hajj doing?” Akbar asked.

Senator Afnanullah Khan pressed further, questioning whether a red warrant — an Interpol request for arrest — had been issued or if any of the suspect’s assets had been frozen. “It seems the ministry is protecting the accused,” he said.

Senator Bilal Khan Mandokhail argued the fraud was likely not the work of a single person. “There must be a whole network involved,” he said.

Officials from the Federal Investigation Agency briefed the committee that the suspect’s national identity card and passport had been blocked, and that efforts were underway to locate and freeze his assets.

Akbar instructed the Interior Ministry to confirm whether Interpol had been contacted for international assistance in apprehending Kaleem. He also called for all the suspect’s properties to be seized.

The committee ordered the Ministry of Religious Affairs to submit a progress report within one month and to compile all audit objections related to the case for a joint investigation.

In a separate discussion, lawmakers examined how staff are deployed for Hajj operations.

The Religious Affairs secretary said around 1,700 staff members — ranging from junior clerks to senior officers — are sent from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia each year to assist pilgrims. Saudi regulations require one assistant for every 100 pilgrims, with 20 percent of the quota reserved for police officers.

Committee members were surprised to learn that staff sent abroad for Hajj duty still receive travel and daily allowances based on rates set in the 1980s.

The PAC also questioned whether these staff members perform Hajj themselves during official assignments. Audit officials clarified that they travel on service visas and are not permitted to perform pilgrimage rituals, including visits to the holy sites of Mina and Arafat.

The committee directed the ministry to provide a full list of all government officials sent on Hajj duty, along with their job grades and positions.