Asif Bashir, a young Pakistani from Peshawar who works as a database supervisor at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was also performing Hajj as a volunteer to assist pilgrims.
The 32-year-old government official demonstrated extraordinary courage and compassion by providing water, life-saving medicines, and carrying multiple pilgrims on his shoulders for distances of three to four kilometers.
Bashir saved the lives of around 26 pilgrims who had fainted from the intense heat, including 17 Indians.
Indian authorities in Saudi Arabia recognized Bashir’s bravery and courage.
Indian Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijju and Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani expressed their admiration in letters addressed to Bashir, stating, “Your dedication, compassion, and steadfast commitment to assisting the pilgrims are genuinely praiseworthy.”
Kiren Rijju noted in the letter shared by Bashir with APP, “I am especially struck by your extraordinary display of kindness and courage in administering first aid and carrying patients to hospitals on your shoulder when ambulances and medical personnel were unavailable.”
The Indian minister remarked, “Your courage will be commemorated, and your deeds will motivate countless individuals to emulate your example.”
Bashir shared with APP that a devastating heatwave had gripped the city when the pilgrims returned from Mina to Makkah, causing many to lose their lives.
Faced with a surge of unconscious Indian, Pakistani, and Egyptian pilgrims overwhelmed by the scorching heat and calls for immediate rescue and medical assistance, Bashir sprang into action.
Amidst the chaos and panic, he stood firm and decided to save lives by providing drinking water.
Bashir stated, “In the course of the rescue, I refrained from making any distinctions based on the nationality of the individuals I was assisting. My sole focus was on serving humanity by rescuing those in dire situations.” He further noted, “We supplied drinking water and oral rehydration solution to approximately 350 to 400 pilgrims who had lost consciousness.”
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