42 Pak Haj pilgrims die in Saudi

islamabad — At least 42 Pakistani pilgrims have died of various causes during the Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony said here.

Of 42 victims, 30 were male and 12 female. Most of them died of suffocation or in road accidents, Xinhua news agency quoted the officials as saying.

The dead pilgrims were aged between early 40s and late 80s.

According to the ministry officials, 184,210 Pakistani pilgrims reached Saudi Arabia under government and private programmes to perform Haj this year.

Meanwhile, the post-Haj flight operation would commence from Monday as the first flight carrying 327 pilgrims will land at the Islamabad Airport the same evening, said a spokesman for the ministry of religious affairs and interfaith harmony.

In a statement, he said, a total of four flights would bring back over 950 pilgrims to Islamabad, Peshawar on the first day. As many as 240 pilgrims would reach Peshawar by the Saudi airline on Monday.

He said the post-Haj operation to bring back 179,210 pilgrims would continue up to September 25. Meanwhile, a total of 42 Pakistani pilgrims including 30 men and 12 women had died during the Haj days.

The Haj flights are also scheduled for other major cities of the country, including Peshawar, Multan, Sukkur, Lahore and Faisalabad.