A holy pilgrimage came to an end in despair as five Pakistani Umrah pilgrims were killed and several others left critically injured in a tragic road accident in Saudi Arabia.
The tragic accident occurred during the journey from Al-Badr to Madinah when a pilgrim bus collided with a trailer. The team of men, women, children, and elderly people was embarking on the spiritual journey with high hopes, none hoping it would become a nightmare.
Tragic road accident in Saudi Arabia kills pilgrims on the spot
According to Saudi rescue officials, three women and two elderly men died on the spot. The injured, many of them in vulnerable age groups, were promptly shifted to local hospitals. Their condition remains uncertain as families in Pakistan await updates.
Victims hailed from various villages near Bahawalnagar, including 228/9-R, 201 Murad, 39/3-R, and Dahranwala, adding to the sorrow of rural communities now plunged into mourning.
The Pakistani embassy in Saudi Arabia has also been instructed to provide complete support to the victims and their relatives. National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq was deeply grieved by the tragedy and wished for the earliest possible recovery of the injured ones.
This sad news comes at the heels of another Hajj-related crisis on the boil. It has come to light that almost 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims are likely to miss Hajj 2025 as a result of bureaucratic red-tapism and mismanagement by private tour operators. So far, a mere 23,000 will be provided accommodation under the private Hajj scheme, short of the targeted 90,000.
PKR 36 billion in money sent to Saudi Arabia are stuck, with the Saudi government not accepting refunds and providing adjustments for next year. Legal obstacles and delayed policy approvals have stranded millions of pilgrims, both emotionally and financially.
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