At least 18 Pakistani nationals were among 769 pilgrims
killed in last week’s horrific stampede during Haj, the worst incident
in 25 years to strike the annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, officials
said on Sunday.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious
Affairs in a statement issued names of 18 pilgrims so far confirmed dead
in the stampede, amid fears that the toll may rise. However, Geo TV
reported that the toll had reached 23.
300 pilgrims missing
There were also reports of about 300 Pakistani pilgrims missing as their relatives were unable to reach them.
“We are trying to find the missing persons,” said Manzoor Ahmad, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
‘Nobody is helping’
Some
of the relatives blamed the government for failure to respond to the
queries about the fate of the pilgrims who have lost contact with their
families. “Nobody is helping us as both the Ministry of Religious
Affairs and Foreign Ministry are not responding to our calls,” a
relative said.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,
currently in New York to attend the annual U.N. meeting, asked officials
to do everything to help the families whose relatives were still
missing.
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