By Hamid Khan Wazir
Despite a lapse of 90 days, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Pakistan House Madinah have failed to trace 10 missing Hajis in Saudi Arabia, raising serious questions about the competence and capabilities of the Pakistan Hajj mission at Madina.
Out of the ten missing Pakistani pilgrims, one is Haji Abdul Ghafoor Khan, an illiterate 80-year-ol, belonging to Village Masood Khel, Tehsil and District Charsadda, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
A group member Haji Kashif Ullah claimed that he disappeared in Masjid-e-Nabvi on the second day of his arrival in Madina when they were performing their ablution.
The inability of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Pakistan House Madinah to trace the missing Haji belied the government’s tall claims of making effective managements for pilgrims.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Imdad Ullah Khyal, son of the missing Haji, OGRA (Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority) Executive Secretary (Cabinet Division) said with a heavy heart that he has run from pillar to post and knocked on all doors to ensure the recovery of his father, but the ordeal and agony is yet to be over.
Learning about the incident, Imdad said that he immediately informed the Ministry of Religious Affairs and other relevant quarters regarding the incident but in vain.
Imdad Ullah said that he held a number of meetings with Deputy Secretary and other high-ups of the Ministry of Religious Affairs for the early recovery of his father but it seems mere lip service, because they have yet to resolve the mystery of his father’s disappearance despite a lapse of around three months, and that they merely gave empty assurances instead of taking any practical steps.
According to Director General Hajj, as many as 10 Pakistani pilgrims are still missing in Saudi Arabia and six another were in jail in a theft case, while three others involved in a money laundering case have been released.
However, the officials of the ministry neither had the names of the missing pilgrimages nor of those languishing in jails, according to Imdad Ullah.
The grieved son said he wrote a mercy letter to the Saudi ambassador to Pakistan, a copy of which available with Pakistan Today, reads, “The Independent News Media, Haj companions of my father and employee of Saudi Hajj Helpline, Ms Asma contact : 009660125500418, have stressed that my father is in custody of Madinah Intelligence police. Moreover, during my meeting with Minister of Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, his PA Mushtaq endorsed that he was abducted by Intelligence police.”
In the letter, he prayed to the Ambassador to consider and probe into the matter of grave human rights violation and take notice of the case so as to ensure early and safe recovery of his illiterate octogenarian father on humanitarian grounds.
The Saudi Ambassador telephoned and assured him that every possible step for recovery of his father was being taken. Yet he remains missing.
Imdad has appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo moto notice of the issue to ensure his father’s recovery.
Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf could not be reached for his comments despite repeated phone calls and text messages.
