Among the martyrdoms to be confirmed today was that of six-year-old Samreen Bibi Haji Muhammad, a resident of Multan, who had traveled with her family to Makkah to perform the holy Hajj pilgrimage. Samreen’s father worked as a taxi-driver in Makkah.
Another casualty confirmed today was that of martyr Tauseef Iftikhar from Rahim Yar Khan. Iftikhar’s family has confirmed his death and that he has been laid to rest in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office has issued a list of names confirming the martyrdom of nine other Pakistanis in the stampede.
Hafsa Shoaib, Zareen Nasim, Syeda Narjis Shahnaz, Bibi Zainab, Mahmood Arshad, Rasheedan Bibi, Zahid Gul, Dr. Ameer Ali Lashari and Makhdoomzada Syed Asad Murtaza Gillani, who was the nephew of former Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Officials further confirmed that authorities are yet to trace over 300 Pakistanis who had gone missing after the stampede that martyred 717 pilgrims on Thursday – the worst disaster to strike the annual Hajj pilgrimage in 25 years.
At least 863 others were injured in the stampede caused by two large groups of pilgrims arriving together at a crossroads on their way to performing the “stoning the devil” ritual at Jamarat.
Saudi authorities have released the photos of 500 martyrs of the tragedy and forwarded them to the concerned missions of the countries that the pilgrims belonged to.
