When a female candidate for the position of DG Haj was rejected, NCHR charges the Religious Affairs Ministry of gender discrimination.

A female candidate for the director general (DG) position of the Haj was allegedly rejected on the grounds of her gender, according to the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), which voiced “serious concerns” over the matter on Tuesday.

Saima Sabah, a BS-20 officer with the Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service, claimed in a plea to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in December that she had won the position after scoring 71 out of 100 in a written test but had been let go as a result of gender discrimination.

She had asked the court to order the religious affairs ministry to declare her the chosen candidate and notify her of her appointment as the DG Haj in accordance with that declaration.

NCHR has serious concerns about the rejection of Saima Saba as DG Hajj. Eligibility criteria in advertisement does not exclude women. She was highest candidate with 71 marks from IBA. @ncswpk@yazdanifauzia @FauziaWaqar @SalmanSufi7 @PakPMO @MehnazAkberAziz @RabiyaJaveri pic.twitter.com/ZAztEgzaxS

— National Commission for Human Rights (@nchrofficial) January 31, 2023