• Home

36 deaths of Pakistanis confirmed in Mina crush

Officials here have confirmed the deaths of at least three dozen Pakistanis in the Haj stampede in Mina four days ago which left nearly as many Pakistani pilgrims injured in the tragic incident.
The total death toll from the stampede rose to 769 as the annual pilgrimage in Makkah ended under reinforced security measures.
Saudi Health Minister Khaled Al Falih announced the new figure, an increase from the previous toll of 717. "Those are the ones who have died in various hospitals since the event," he told a news conference, adding that 934 people were wounded in the worst Haj disaster in a quarter of a century.
Twelve of those who sustained injuries have already been discharged from hospital while the remaining Pakistanis are still undergoing treatment. Pakistan's Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Yousuf told a news conference in Saudi Arabia that 36 Pakistanis had died during the stampede in Mina.
The religious affairs ministry has prepared a list of the deceased and injured victims of the deadly stampede, which took place during one of the last Haj rituals.
The minister said efforts were under way to locate the missing Pakistani pilgrims. Unconfirmed media reports suggested that over 300 Pakistani pilgrims were still unaccounted for. But the Hajj authorities refused to give any figure.
The religious affairs minister claimed that 161 of the Pakistanis reported missing had returned to their hotels.
news@khaleejtimes.com