Pakistani umrah pilgrims killed in Saudi Arabia bus accident

A devastating road accident in Saudi Arabia has claimed the lives of five Pakistani Umrah pilgrims, including three women, and left several others injured, ARY News reported.

According to reports, the incident occurred when a bus carrying umrah pilgrims from Al-Badr to Madinah collided with a trailer.

According to Saudi sources, the deceased include three women and two elderly men. Rescue officials confirmed that the injured which included women, children, and elderly individuals were swiftly transported to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.

The deceased women belonged to villages 228/9-R and 201 Murad near Bahawalnagar, while the men were residents of 39/3-R and Dahranwala.

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss and offered prayers for the souls of the departed and the speedy recovery of the injured.

He also instructed the Pakistani embassy in Saudi Arabia to fully support the victims’ families and provide assistance to the injured.

Earlier, approximately 67,000 Pakistani pilgrims risk miss Hajj this year due to delays and mismanagement by private tour operators.

According to sources, the crisis has also left PKR 36 billion, collected from pilgrims, stuck in Saudi Arabia, with the Saudi government reportedly refusing refunds and instead offering to adjust the funds for next year’s pilgrimage.

Sources revealed that the delay in approving Pakistan’s Hajj Policy 2025 prevented private operators from submitting applications on time. Although the funds were transferred to Saudi Arabia, insufficient time and failure to coordinate timely arrangements with Saudi authorities led to incomplete preparations.

The lack of prompt communication and coordination with the Saudi government further exacerbated the issues, sources added.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs reported that some private companies obtained court injunctions, which stalled the allocation of the private Hajj quota.

As a result, only 23,620 pilgrims will be able to perform Hajj 2025 under the private scheme this year, a significant drop from the usual 90,000 Pakistanis who undertake the pilgrimage annually through private operators.