Eighteen Pakistanis were killed in a crush at the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mina, Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Yousuf told Express News on Sunday.
“After visiting hospitals, I can confirm 18 Pakistanis were among those killed during a stampede at Mina,” Yousuf said, during a telephonic conversation from Makkah.
Read: Death toll in hajj crush rises to 769: Saudi health minister
“At least 20 Pakistanis were injured of which 12 have been discharged from hospitals,” he added.
The minister further said measures are being taken to locate missing Pakistani pilgrims.
According to a list published by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the deceased persons include Hafsa Shoaib, Zarin Naseem, Syeda Narjis Shahnaz, Bibi Zainab, Mahmood Arshad, Rasheedan Bibi, Zahid Gul, Dr. Ameer Ali Lashari and Makhdoomzada Syed Asad Murtaza Gillani, Abdul Rehman, Shehnaz Qamar, Islam Ahmad, Bushra Bibi, Muhammad Hasrat, Azeem Khan, Muhammad Idrees, Aamir Muhammad Malook and Gul Shahnaz.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif directed the Foreign Office and director general Hajj to increase their efforts to locate missing pilgrims, Radio Pakistan reported.
The death toll in a crush rose to 769, Saudi Arabia said on Saturday.
The worst disaster to befall the annual pilgrimage in a quarter of a century occurred on Thursday as two large groups of pilgrims arrived together at a crossroads in Mina, a few kilometres outside the holy city.
“The latest statistics up to this hour reveal 769 dead. That is an increase of 52 on the previous figures,” Saudi health minister Khalid al-Falih told a news conference.
Read: Eleven Pakistanis killed, 17 injured in Hajj stampede
“Those are the ones who died in various hospitals since the event,” he said, adding that 934 people were wounded.
FO denies report claiming 236 Pakistanis were killed
The Foreign Office rejected a report in British newspaper, Guardian, claiming 236 Pakistanis were killed in the stampede.
Further, a statement issued by FO said the Pakistani embassy is facilitating identification of the deceased at the mortuary in Makkah along with efforts being made to locate missing the missing pilgrims.
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