Islamabad, 40 years of prison has been sentenced to a former Pakistani religious affairs minister with 3 persons in a corruption case in which over 85,000 Hajj pilgrims were made to pay extra money for staying in Saudi Arabia.

Hamid Saeed Kazmi, a member of the Pakistan People's Party, was sentenced by a local court to 16 years in prison for his involvement in the scandal.

He was elected as lawmaker in 2008 and joined the cabinet of Yusuf Raza Gilani as minister. 

The convict can appeal against the sentence in the high court. 

The convicts were accused of making money while renting residential buildings for Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.