Islamabad : June 20 ,2024: As Hajj death toll rises to 1080 most deaths occured due to ultra heat and poor areangements during Hajj days in Mina and Muzulfa , Pakistan’s Religious ministry official who is currently in Mecca claimed on Thursday that only 35 Pakistani pilgrims died during one and half months stay in Mecca and Marina. Talking to NEWSMAN from Holy City of Mecca , Omar Butt, an ex-spokesman of Hajj ministry said ” Some media outlets in Pakistan are incorrectly reporting deaths of Pakistani pilgrims and are trying to give an impression to the public at home that 35 pilgrims died in only five Hajj days whereas these deaths occured in total Hajj duration of one and half months”. Omar Butt added that the first batch of Pakistani pilgrims had reached in Holy City of Mecca on May 9 and the first death of a female Pakistani pilgrim was reported on May 10. According to Omar Butt , 29 deaths of Pakistani pilgrims were reported before moving of pilgrims to Mina . He claimed that only 9 Pakistani pilgrims died during Hajj rituals in Mina , Aurfat and Muzulfa . He asserted that 75 Pakistani pilgrims had died in Hajj 2023. Pakistani pilgrims have been complaining of mismanagement during Hajj days in Mina and Muzulfa . They are calling the spending of one night in Muzulfa as their worst experience. Saudi authorities take control of pilgrims’ arrangements during Hajj days when pilgrims move to Mina , Aurfat and Muzulfa for Hajj rituals. It seems that Saudi government does not make proper arrangements for stay food and other facilities like transport and poor arrangements push pilgrims (Guests of God) in extreme difficult situation during Hajj days. In a WhatsApp message , a couple from Islamabad who is currently in Mecca after performing Hajj and is waiting to return Pakistan told this correspondent that its arrangements fiasco that pushes pilgrims in difficult situation during Hajj days. The couple said this year the arrangements at Mina and Muzulfa were extremely poor that caused deaths of many pilgrims at these two sacred places. Many other Pakistani pilgrims can also be seen complaining of poor arrangements in Mina and Muzulfa in their video clups that went viral on social media in the last few days. There are growing complaints that Saudi officials on Hajj duty do not listen to the pilgrims’ ordeals during Hajj days and it sends disappointing message to millions of Muslims . Pakistani authorities should take the matter of poor arrangemrnts in Mina and Muzulfa with Saudi government and demand better arrangements for the future so that Pakistani pilgrims do not undergo the simikiar bad experience in the years to come.
