200 family members of Christchurch attack victims begin arriving for Hajj

First patch of families of victims of the terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand have arrived on 02 August 2019 at King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. ( Courtesy: Social Media )
  • Naeem Rashid and his son were among nine Pakistanis shot dead in the New Zealand city of Christchurch in March
  • Family members of people killed in March 2019 mosque attacks in New Zealand are guests of King Salman

ISLAMABAD: On the directives of Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, 200 family members of victims of the March 2019 twin mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand started to arrive in Jeddah on Friday, before the start of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
The wife of a Pakistani man who died along with his son trying to confront a suspected white supremacist during the attacks in said she was “overwhelmed” by Saudi Arabia’s offer to bereaved families to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage as guests of King Salman.
Mian Naeem Rashid, 50, and his son Talha were among nine Pakistanis killed when a gunman attacked two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch in March, killing 50 people from countries including Afghanistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt and Jordan. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, has been charged with the murders and will go on trial next year.
Rashid from Abbottabad, Pakistan, and a New Zealand resident for nine years, was at the Al Noor mosque with his 21-year-old son. He was seen lunging at the gunman in the livestream video the killer posted online.
Rashid’s wife said she was “overwhelmed by this gesture of Saudi Arabia” to send the bereaved families of the Christchurch attack on Hajj.
Last month, speaking to Arab News via phone from her home in New Zealand, Ambreen Rashid said: “I am thankful to King Salman and the Crown Prince for keeping us in their thoughts and providing us the opportunity to visit our most holy and spiritual place.”
Rashid said she along with other families of the victims were approached by Saudi diplomats shortly after the March attacks with the offer to go on the Hajj pilgrimage as guests of the government.
Hosting the families during Hajj season is part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to “confront and defeat terrorism” in all forms, Sheikh Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh, the Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs said. His ministry has been working with the Saudi embassy in New Zealand to make all arrangements for the families’ pilgrimage.