wt01@gte.com (Wasim Tauqir) (07/06/90)
..........a repost from soc.culture.pakistan............... >>>In article <13833@wpi.wpi.edu> wt01@gte.com (Wasim Tauqir) writes: >>>Any reliable news about the tragic deaths of pilgrims in Saudi Arabia >>I tried the Saudi Embassy in Washington but they have no information, and >>Alaa Zeineldine alaa@tinton.ccur.com work: (201) 758 7344 >> home: (201) 308 9180 > Asad Sheikh: > VOA interviewed(sp ?) a pakistani official in Mecca Moazma.Official said In the process of locating my parents, my brother and a cousin who are performing HAJJ I posted an article. Since then I collected some information (part of which you may already know) which I am now sharing with you. First of all masha_Allah my relatives are safe. I would like to thank all the netters who called me back and tried to help me. First I called backhome (Pakistan) and obtained the following information: (1) Name of the "mo-al-lim" (2) Number of the "mukhtab" (it was a number like "34") The most important thing which I could not get was: (3) the "group number" . Further I called the following numbers which, unfortunately are only good for Pakistani's; (1) Pakistan Clinic, Mecca tel #. (011-966-2)5742634 (2) Pakistan Hajj House (in Minna). tel # (011-966-2)5564676 and 5564865 (3) Pak. Embassy in Jeddah (011-966-2)6692371/6656235. Since I did not had the correct group number I could not get complete info. from the above numbers but they were all extremely helpful. The way I got around was through a friend's friend who was in Mecca. With the name of the 'mo-al-lim' he traced my relatives from among 5-10,000 Hajis somehow. * Someone posted a question about the tunnel: Correct me if I am wrong, but what I have gathered is that this tunnel is a commuter tunnel and is not part of the Suffa & Murwa ritual. It links Minna with Muzalfah. Most of the Hajis use the highways built on top of the tunnel to commute, via buses and other means of commute. People who are on foot, use this tunnel and was constructed by the Saudi government to help ease the commute, especially those who want to save money and avoid paying for the transportation. * Coverup I don't know if the Saudi Govt. tried to do a cover-up (as someone suggested) but I do know that King Fahd protested the authorities in UK for broadcasting that the tunnel has collasped. As far as a VOA's interview with a Pakistani in Mecca who was unaware of the incident, I would say that it is true. When I was calling Mecca, while all the Hajis were in Minna, some people at the "mo-al-lim's" office were not aware of this simply because "C'mon sense" everybody is dedicated to prayers and not to radio and TV. On the other hand every body at the Pakistani Clinic and Pakistan Hajj House was fully aware of this. Wasim