The Himalayan Times

World

217 Pakistani pilgrims tracked in Saudi Arabia; 85 missing

217 Pakistani pilgrims tracked in Saudi Arabia; 85 missing

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Muslim women perform their prayers at a mass prayer for Eid al-Adha at the Badshahi mosque in Lahore, Pakistan September 25, 2015. Muslims across the world celebrate the annual festival of Eid al-Adha or the Festival of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the annual hajj pilgrimage, by slaughtering goats, sheep, cows and camels in commemoration of the Prophet Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son to show obedience to Allah. The meat should be distributed to the poor, neighbors and family. REUTERS/Mohsin Raza

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's minister for religious affairs says authorities have tracked down 217 Pakistanis who went missing following last week's stampede that killed more than 700 pilgrims during the hajj in Saudi Arabia. Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, speaking to state-run Pakistan Television Sunday night from Saudi Arabia, says 85 Pakistanis were still missing and efforts were underway to locate them. He says 36 Pakistanis were killed and 35 injured in the stampede. Saudi authorities say at least 769 people died when two large waves of pilgrims converged on a narrow road during the final days of the annual hajj, near the holy city of Mecca.