JEDDAH, 6 January 2004 — Four Pakistani Haj pilgrims were killed and 36 others injured when a bus they were traveling on met with an accident near Madinah on Sunday.
The accident happened some 60 to 70 km away from Madinah at 8.30 p.m, according to Baharullah Hazarvi, Pakistan’s director of Haj.
Reports suggest that the driver dozed off at the wheel, he added.
The bus carrying 40 Pakistani pilgrims, including a child, of Maktab No. 42, Building No. 75, was heading from Makkah to Madinah when the vehicle veered off the road and dropped into a gorge, he told Arab News on the telephone last night.
Of the injured 26 were admitted to King Fahd Hospital in Madinah. Four of them were in critical condition.
Ten of the injured received first aid at the hospital and were moved to the Pakistan House dispensary in the holy city, he added.
The dead were identified as Akhtri Bibi, 53, wife of Abdul Aziz of Islamabad; Muhammad Khurshid, 37, son of Muhammad Jee, Islamabad; Maimuna Hameed, 24, daughter of Abdul Hameed, Rawalpindi and Tasneem Alim, 49, Rawalpindi.
The first three died on the spot, while the fourth succumbed to her injuries in hospital, Hazarvi said.
Following is the list of injured pilgrims who were discharged from King Fahd Hospital in Madinah and moved to the Pakistan House Dispensary in the holy city:
Muhammad Ali Zaman, son of Saadullah Khan, Islamabad; Muhammad Ilyas Awan, son of Samundar Khan, Rawalpindi; Fida Hussain, son of Ghulam Hussain, Rawalpindi; Amjad Hussain, son of Ghulam Shabbir, Rawalpindi; Ghulam Fiza, wife of Ghulam Ali, Rawalpindi; Akhtar Ali, son of Kaloo Khan, Islamabad; Muhammad Jan, wife of Abdul Hameed, Islamabad, Ishtiaq Ahmad, son of Ali Akbar, Rawalpindi Cantt.; Gul Rehman, son of Said Rehman, Rawalpindi; Yasmeen Begum, wife of Ishtiaq Ahmad, Rawalpindi Cantt.
Inquiries may be directed to Haj Director General Shahid Khan: 054517632; Haj Director: 055659621; Deputy Haj Director, Madinah: 056311024; Pakistan House, Makkah: 05741015; Pakistan House, Madinah: 04-8250789.
