- Pakistani volunteer Asif Bashir praised for rescuing 26 pilgrims during a heatwave at Hajj.
- Indian ministers commend Bashir’s bravery for saving 17 Indian pilgrims.
- Bashir provided life-saving aid, including water and first aid, amid extreme heat in Makkah.
During the Hajj pilgrimage this year, Asif Bashir, a 32-year-old Pakistani from Peshawar, became a beacon of heroism in the sweltering heat of Makkah. As a volunteer assisting pilgrims, Bashir displayed extraordinary courage and compassion, saving around 26 individuals who had fainted due to the extreme heat.
Bashir, who works as a database supervisor at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, went above and beyond by providing water, administering life-saving medicines, and even carrying several pilgrims on his shoulders for distances of up to three to four kilometers. His selfless actions included aiding 17 Indian pilgrims among others.
Indian ministers Kiren Rijju and Smriti Irani praised Bashir in official letters, acknowledging his dedication and bravery. Rijju highlighted Bashir’s exceptional humanitarian efforts, noting that his actions, including transporting patients when medical services were overwhelmed, were truly inspiring. Bashir’s response to the crisis, driven by a commitment to humanity rather than nationality, underscores the spirit of service that transcends borders.
