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20 Jumada Al-Awwal 1446  

Court rejects Hamid Kazmi’s acquittal plea in Hajj Scam 2010

RAWALPINDI: The trial court here on Friday rejected the acquittal plea of Ex-Minster of religious affairs, Hamid Saeed Kazmi and termed it as Immature, reported Aaj News.

The Special Special Judge Central (FIA) Khalid Shabbir rejected the plea of Ex-minster and he is likely to be indicted in the case on May 30.

According to the sources, the court rejected the plea over the allegations on Hamid Saeed including fake balloting during Hajj scheme 2010, corruption in arranging accommodation for Pakistani Haj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.

The court said that the allegations against Kazmi were of a serious nature and that his acquittal plea was ‘premature’.

The prosecutor Federal investigation Agency (FIA) Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali told the court that since evidence was yet to be examined, witnesses were still pending and the trial was far from complete, the accused could not be acquitted as yet.

Earlier the court reserved the verdict on May 23, which was announced today.

Kazmi was involved in an infamous corruption scandal regarding facilities of Pakistani pilgrims performing the Hajj in Saudi Arabia and was accused of not managing adequate food, resources and living space for them during their stay.

He was consequently sacked from office on the 14th of December 2010.

Khurshid Shah was appointed to minister religious affairs after Kazmi's ouster.