MULTAN City News

Family fails to bring body from Saudi Arabia
From Our Correspondent
MULTAN: A hapless poor family has threatened to self immolate after failing to get a body back to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia because the Pakistan’s diplomatic mission officials and the government functionaries are not helping them in this regard.
The family has appealed to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as well as the Foreign office in Islamabad but failed to get any help.
Arshad Mehmood - resident of Rehman Colony, Muzaffarabad - complained that his son Mehmood-ul-Hassan had been working at Al-Ewan Medical Company in Najran, for the last three years. He died on May 29 at King the Khalid Hospital due to brain haemorrhage after which his body was stored at the hospital’s morgue.
Rashid Mehmood said he had been trying to bring his son’s dead body back to Pakistan for the last 20 days, but Pakistan’s consulate in Jeddah did not help them for the purpose.
All the requests made to the prime minister and Foreign Office for brining the body back to Pakistan failed to get any positive response even after the passage of 20 days, Rashid said.
Mehmood had travelled under Passport No QD-015021 to Saudi Arabia. The family completed all legal requirements and documentation for safe return of the body, but all in vein.
According to Arshad, he has given his power attorney to Ali Imran Khalid with Akama No 2349092482 to complete the whole procedure of receiving, transportation of body and dealing all matters with the company where his son served for three years.
Arshad said the company management was not cooperating in giving clearance and issuing NOC, adding that the body’s transportation was pending mainly because of lack of cooperation on the part of the company.
The family contacted the Pakistan consulate in Jeddah, which could only verify documents and power of attorney, leaving the poor family at the mercy of circumstances.
The family has requested President Mamnoon Hussain and the prime minister for necessary action. The deceased’s mother has under cardiac shock after receiving information about the death of her son, while all the family members are waiting for the return of body for the burial of Mehmood.