News
Monday, November 05, 2012
93 Pakistani pilgrims die in Saudi Arabia* Hajj official says more than 1.4 million people performed Hajj without government’s permission
Staff Report
JEDDAH: At least 93 Pakistani pilgrims died during Hajj in Saudi Arabia this year, said Syed Abu Ahmed Akif, director general (Hajj) in the Consulate General of Pakistan in Jeddah.
He said that burial of 87 pilgrims had already been performed in Makkah and Madina.
According to Saudi law and an agreement between the two countries, pilgrims who pass away in Saudi Arabia could not be transported to Pakistan and have to be buried in the kingdom.
Briefing Pakistani journalists at PIA office in Jeddah, Aqif said, “Approximately, 179,210 Pakistanis performed Hajj. Saudi government had allocated same number of quota for Pakistan.”
He said for its pilgrims, the government of Pakistan has to arrange around 163 buildings in Makkah and 45 in Madina.
According to local newspapers, he said, more than 1.4 million people performed Hajj without the government’s permission which caused difficulties for the pilgrims.
“We have a computerised accommodation allocation system and, therefore, complaints by people regarding accommodation are baseless,” Aqif said.
The Pakistani government has deployed a medical mission in Saudi Arabia comprising 640 medical staff to look after pilgrims.
Earlier, Counsel General of Pakistan in Saudi Arabia Abdul Salik Khan said that more than 179,000 Pakistanis travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, of which more than 50 percent aged between 50 to 60-plus years.
Khan said that there were around 1.5 million Pakistanis living in Saudi Arabia and playing their role in improving economy of both the countries. He appreciated the services of Pakistan International Airline (PIA) in accommodating and facilitating the pilgrims.
However, he said, there were problems surfacing primarily because of the “illiteracy of most of the pilgrims and age factor”.
Khan said the Saudi government was making all efforts to facilitate pilgrims but managing such a huge number of people was almost impossible.
The Hajj DG said that this year, the Saudi government issued 1.9 million Hajj visas. Besides, according to Saudi media, some 1.4 million people performed Hajj “illegally” (without permission).
PIA Country Manager in Saudi Arabia Shahbaz Ahmad said that PIA had operated 50 flights carrying more than 21,000 pilgrims back home as of November 4.
Shahbaz suggested the quarters concerned that PIA’s Hajj operation burden should be reduced and other airlines should be bound to dedicate Hajj flights for Pakistani pilgrims.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk