Mina stampede: Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Yousuf confirms martyrdom of 36 Pakistani pilgrims

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousuf has on Monday confirmed the martyrdom of 36 Pakistani pilgrims in Mina stampede. Talking to government TV channel, he said that the government is saddened by the Mina incident, adding that contacts have been made with 217 missing Pakistani pilgrims and efforts are underway to reach the remaining 36 missing pilgrims. He declared Pakistani pilgrims responsible for not contacting the ministry and said that the missing pilgrims despite returning to Muzdalifah moved to visit different places due to which contacts could not be made with them, while the Saudi authorities have rushed many injured pilgrims to different hospitals. Sardar Yousuf said that the information of all the pilgrims will be gathered in three days. The total death toll from the stampede rose to 769 as the annual pilgrimage in Makkah ended under reinforced security measures. According to a list issued by the Religious Affairs Ministry, the martyred pilgrims include Hasfa Shoaib, Zareen Nasim, Seyda Narjis Shahnaz, Zainab, Mahmood Arshad, Rasheedan Bibi, Zahid Gul, Dr Ameer Ali Lashari, Makhdumzada Syed Asad Murtaza Gilan, Abdul Rehman, Mrs. Shehnaz Qamar, Islam Ahmad,  Bushra Bibi,  Mohammad Hasrat,  Azeem Khan, Mohammad Idress, Aamir Mohammad Malook, Gul Shahnaz, Najma, Noor Muhammad, Muhammad Aslam, Madina Bibi, Touseef Iftikhar, Muhammad Ismail Khan, Bibi Zara, Abdul Ahad, Haji Abbas Khan, Talmeez Ahmed, Siraj Ahmed Siraj, Mian Muhammad Riaz, Arif, Aziz Mai, Bibi Shakira, Asif Khan, Muhammad Ibrahim Khan and Muhammad Hassan Khan.