Haj, Umra operators face consumer court

LAHORE: A consumer court on Monday issued a notice to AL-Arifa Private Ltd. (providing services for Hajj and Umra) for March 11 in a suit seeking payment of Rs 1 million as damages for allegedly providing faulty services to pilgrims.Munir Ahmed had filed a petition in consumer court, contending that the company was providing Hajj & Umra services to the people. The complainant said in the petition that he met with Ahmed Jalil Raja, the managing director at his city office at Lawrence Road. He said that Jalil assured him to provide VIP facilities in hotels, including provision of sofa-cum-bed, bath room, food facilities at Minah and air-conditioned tent at Arafat. He said that the respondent claimed to provide number of facilities to the pilgrims who would go to perform Hajj and Umra through his office.He told the court that on August 12-2010 he gave a cheque of Rs. 4,95,000 to Jalil and the respondent assured him that all facilities which he promised would be provided him. He said that when he along-with other pilgrims reached at Jeddah, he was taken in second class hotel that was without satisfactory furniture, bathroom and kitchen facilities. He said that he was not taken towards those places about which the respondent had promised. He prayed the court that he was provided with third class food and no guider was provided him also in accordance with the promise made to him.He prayed the court to direct the respondent to pay Rs.1 million as damages as he suffered metal agony as the respondent failed to provide all facilities which he promised. Upon which the court issued notice for March 11-2011 to the respondent – Nation