Mina tragedy: Number of Pakistani martyrs rises to 46

ISLAMABAD: The number of Pakistani pilgrims martyred in the stampede at Mina near the holy city of Makkah has risen to 46, the Ministry of Religious Affairs confirmed on Wednesday.

In a list published on its website, the ministry released the names and details of the 46 Pakistanis confirmed by officials and family members to have been martyred and 40 Pakistanis injured in the stampede – the worst disaster to strike the annual Hajj pilgrimage in 25 years.

Over 60 Pakistani nationals are still believed to be missing since the disaster, further raising concerns for family members back home in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Health Ministry said the death toll for the incident in Mina on Sept 24 remained at 769 people, with another 934 injured in the incident, rejecting some reports of the death toll being as high as 4,000.

According to a report by a foreign news agency, hundreds of nationals of Iran, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Morocco and Libya were also missing after the stampede.

AFP adds: Saudi authorities have yet to provide a breakdown of the nationalities of the martyred pilgrims, but several countries have announced the deaths of their citizens. Here is the toll given by foreign officials and media so far:

- Iran: 228 dead and 246 missing
- Egypt: 78 dead
- Nigeria: 54 dead (Hajj commission)
- India: 45 dead
- Indonesia: 41 dead
- Cameroon: at least 20 dead
- Niger: 22 dead
- Ivory Coast: 14 dead, 77 missing
- Chad: 11 dead
- Algeria: 9 dead
- Somalia: 8 dead (media reports)
- Morocco: 5 dead, 34 missing
- Senegal: 7 dead, 57 missing
- Libya: 4 dead, 16 missing
- Tanzania: 4 dead
- Kenya: 3 dead
- Tunisia: 2 dead
- Burkina Faso: 1 dead
- Burundi: 1 dead (Muslim association)
- Netherlands: 1 dead
- Benin: unspecified number of deaths