Saudi confirmed death of 1100 Hajj pilgrims
–PM directs to acquaint pilgrims’ relatives with latest information
MAKKAH: The number of Pakistanis martyred in the Mina tragedy reached 40 on Monday as the search for missing continues.
On the directive of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Government will pay assistance of Rs. 500,000/- for heirs of each martyrs of Mina stampede and Rs. 200,000/- each for the injured, the focal person of PM said.
Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Monday, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Mina incident, Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the government would provide free medical treatment to injured on their return home.
He further said that 228 Pakistanis who went missing during the stampede, re-united with their families.
He announced that two or three family members of each martyred would be sent on Umrah on Government expense.
The process would began as soon as Hajj operation winds up and Umrah visas are issued by Saudi Arabia.
To a question, he said that Saudi government had releases photos of 1,100 martyrs. “The Saudi government has confirmed the death of 1100 people and shared a list with our embassy in Riyadh,” he said.
Manzoor ur Haq, Pakistan’s ambassador to Riyadh, also confirmed the figures shared by Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.
Photographs of Pakistani martyred pilgrims can be seen at Pakistan Consulate at Jeddah.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday directed his Office to contact the families of 85 Pakistanis who went missing during a stampede at Mina, Saudi Arabia.
The Prime Minister, who is in New York to attend the UN General Assembly session, telephoned the helpline and checked the functioning of service aimed at providing necessary help and information about the lost pilgrims.
He asked his Office to update him after contacting the families.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs on the directive of the Prime Minister had established the ‘Haj and Mina Tragedy Helpline’ on Sunday.
The numbers are 042 111 725 425 for those calling from Pakistan and 800 11 666 22 for the callers from Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif also directed District Coordination Officers throughout the province to set up Hajj Counters in their respective districts.
He directed the DCOs to immediately contact the family members of all pilgrims in their areas and provide information about pilgrims to their relatives.
Shahbaz Sharif said the federal government will be requested to provide financial assistance to the bereaved families. NNI
