Islamabad: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has sought the details of assistants and servants (Khuddam-ul-Hujjaj) who performed free Hajj during the last three years.

The committee expressed its displeasure over the non-attendance of the meeting by the secretary foreign affairs and directed him to appear in the next meeting.

The meeting of the committee was held under the chairmanship of Chairman Noor Alam Khan at the Parliament House.

PAC members, Secretary Religious Affairs and the Auditor General (AG) participated in the meeting.

In the meeting, it was revealed that 664 assistants were sent for free Hajj during the last three years.

Chairman PAC inquired from the Secretary of Religious Affairs that how so many people can be sent in the name of Khudam-ul-Hujjaj and assistants.

The Chairman committee said that every year 650 people are being given free Hajj, this issue will not be left unaddressed.

Chairman PAC inquired from the Ministry of Religious Affairs that, how many people of the Federal Minister and the Ministry go on Hajj and who sends whom from outside, we need answers to all these questions.

Secretary Religious Affairs told the committee that Nawab of Bahawalpur had bought five residences in Mecca and one in Medina.

Pilgrims used to stay for free in these places, about which a manager sued in a Saudi court and more than half of the building was taken by this manager.

He said that this happened in 1993 and it was not challenged in the court by anyone.

On this occasion, Chairman PAC said that you should have a record, on which the Secretary of Religious Affairs said that this record was also found with great difficulty and efforts.

He said that at present we have three buildings, Saudi ruler King Saud gave one building to Pakistan which was named Makkah House.

However, it was later demolished and the money was used to buy two buildings, one of which was demolished again due to the expansion project.

He said that the protector of property in any country is the ambassador posted there. He said that Pakistan House is also going to be demolished soon.

We have received a notice before the recent Hajj on which the Chairman PAC inquired how many of your staff are staying there.

On which the Secretary of Religious Affairs said that 13, 14 people live there. Chairman PAC has asked for details on this issue.

The Secretary of Religious Affairs told the meeting that there are 69 million Saudi Riyals in the Saudi endowment fund and we want to buy a building there, but the problem is that no foreign national can buy a property there.

And this issue require high level decision making.

During the meeting, the Chairman PAC was angry when other officials came instead of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and said that I have not called the Secretary of Foreign Affairs for gossip.

On this occasion, the officials of foreign affairs told the committee that Bilawal Bhutto was holding a meeting and the secretary of foreign affairs was also present there, on which the chairman PAC had instructed to call him and tell him about the negligence regarding the properties of Pakistan.