Seven Pakistani Umrah pilgrims dead in Saudi Arabia road accident

BUNER: A horrific traffic accident in Saudi Arabia claimed lives of seven Pakistani Umrah pilgrims of a single family in Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ARY News reported.

As per details, the victims including four children, who lost their lives in the unfortunate accident, were residents of Dagai Khudokhel in Buner. Meanwhile, five others of the family were injured in the crash.

According to family, the deceased victims had traveled to Saudi Arabia 11 days ago to perform Umrah. Moreover the funeral prayers of the slain family will be held in Saudi Arabia.

It is important to mention here that the Ministry of Religious Affairs last month confirmed that 18 Pakistani pilgrims, including 10 men and eight women, died during the Hajj 2025 in Saudi Arabia.

Sources from the ministry revealed that the majority of the deceased were elderly individuals, with heart attacks and other health issues as the primary causes of death.

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The ministry further stated that all deceased pilgrims were laid to rest in Jannatul Baqi. This year’s death toll marks a significant decrease from 2024, when 35 Pakistani pilgrims lost their lives during the hajj.

It is worth mentioning here that this year, 1,673,230 pilgrims globally participated in the Hajj, with 1,506,576 international pilgrims arriving from 171 different countries.

According to Saudi Arabia records, 166,654 domestic pilgrims participated Hajj this year, creating one of the most balanced gender ratios in Hajj history, with 877,841 men and 795,389 women.

Saudi officials applied comprehensive cooling strategies following last year’s tragic 1,301 death toll due to intense temperatures reaching 51.8°C (125°F).