ISLAMABAD: Saudi authorities have launched a health awareness campaign in several languages, including Urdu, for pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, Pakistani state media reported on Friday.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and requires every adult Muslim to undertake the journey to the holy Islamic sites in Makkah at least once in their lifetime if they are financially and physically able.
This year, around 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims are expected to perform the pilgrimage, of which around 70,000 people will undertake the journey under the government scheme, while the rest will use private tour operators.
The health awareness campaign for Hajj pilgrims is being carried out at key locations in the Kingdom through dozens of screens, the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“The campaign is being carried out through 97 smart display screens at various locations including Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport, the Haramain High Speed Railway Station, shuttle buses, pilgrim reception centers, malls and the health cluster’s facilities,” the report read.
“Messages cover issues such as the dangers of direct sun exposure, heat exhaustion, dehydration, food poisoning, first aid, personal hygiene and other health topics.”
More than 42,000 Pakistani pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia and around 390 assistants, including Pakistani civil and uniformed officers, are currently working for their travel and accommodation as well as for providing quality food to the pilgrims, according to the Pakistani religion ministry.
Over 150 officers of the religious affairs ministry are facilitating pilgrims at the Main Control Office, Madinah and Jeddah Airports, Lost and Found Department, Madinah Departure Cell, Monitoring Cell, and Accounts and Administration Departments.
This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14 till June 19.
Saudi Arabia launches health awareness campaign for Hajj pilgrims in Urdu, other languages
https://arab.news/candd
Saudi Arabia launches health awareness campaign for Hajj pilgrims in Urdu, other languages
- This year, around 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims are expected to perform the annual pilgrimage
- Pakistan has appointed nearly 550 assistants, staff to ensure well-being of these pilgrims
Death toll in Karachi mall fire rises to 73 after two more bodies recovered — rescue service
- Authorities have yet to confirm the cause of the fire at Gul Plaza which housed around 1,200 shops
- The identification process has been slowed by the condition of the remains recovered from the site
KARACHI: The death toll from a devastating fire at a shopping mall in Pakistan’s largest city of Karachi climbed to 73 on Sunday, the Edhi rescue service said, following the recovery of the remains of two more persons.
The development came as rescuers and volunteers continued to comb through the debris at Gul Plaza, a densely packed commercial complex in the heart of Karachi where a deadly fire erupted on Jan. 17, for remains of the victims.
Over the past week, family members of more than a dozen missing persons have stayed near the destroyed plaza and hospital even after providing their DNA samples for testing, with some relatives also criticizing authorities for the slow pace of rescue efforts.
“The death toll in the Gul Plaza tragedy has reached 73,” the Edhi rescue service said in a statement on Sunday night. “The remains of two more bodies were shifted to the Edhi morgue today.”
There was no official comment on the increase in death toll.
“We have processed 71 sets of remains, of which 20 have been identified,” Chief Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed said on Friday.
The identification process has been significantly slowed by the condition of the remains recovered from the site, according to Syed. Many bodies were found in fragments, complicating DNA analysis and prolonging the process for families waiting for confirmation.
Authorities have yet to confirm the cause of the fire at the building, which housed around 1,200 shops. Traders say the blaze caused more than $53 million losses.
Fires are common in Karachi’s markets and factories, which are known for their poor infrastructure, but a blaze on such a scale is rare.
The provincial government has announced that it will give Rs10 million ($35,720) to each family of the deceased. All 1,200 shopkeepers will also be compensated.
