ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari this week conferred the country’s third highest civilian award on Asif Bashir, a Pakistani Hajj assistant who saved the lives of several pilgrims during last year’s pilgrimage after they fainted due to the extreme heat. 

Bashir was among 550 Pakistani Hajj Moavineen (assistants) recruited by the government to provide facilities to Pakistani pilgrims. However, they also provide facilities to pilgrims belonging to other countries.

Bashir, along with his five-member team, rushed to provide first aid to several pilgrims as they fainted to the ground while the temperature soared above 51 degrees last year. He was able to transport 26 to the hospital, most of whom were Indians. Nine of them died while 17 survived. 

“President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday conferred the Sitara-i-Imtiaz award on Asif Bashir in recognition of his outstanding services in the field of public services,” state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Friday. 

The state-run media said Zardari conferred the award during a special investiture ceremony held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr or President House, which was attended by parliamentarians.

Bashir and his team were able to save the pilgrims by giving them water and ORS [Oral Rehydration Solution] and transporting those who needed medical attention to a nearby hospital that was almost 5-6 kilometers from their check-post.

Out of the 17 that Bashir was able to save, 15 were Indians, one was British and one was a Canadian national.

In recognition of Bashir’s efforts, Indian Minister for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijju even wrote him a letter of gratitude.