Saudi-Based Pakistani Volunteer Abrar Hussain Tanoli Receives Tamgha-e-Imtiaz

RIYADH: Abrar Hussain Tanoli, a Saudi Arabia-based Pakistani financial professional from Mansehra district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has been conferred with the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz for his decade-long services to Pakistani pilgrims and the Pakistani community in the Kingdom.

Tanoli was among the Pakistani nationals who received the prestigious civil award in recognition of outstanding social and community services in Saudi Arabia. The award was presented at a special ceremony arranged by the Embassy of Pakistan in Riyadh.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmed Farooq presented the award on behalf of President Asif Ali Zardari, acknowledging Tanoli’s continued role in Hajj volunteer work, community welfare, healthcare initiatives and emergency assistance.

Tanoli is a founding member and Riyadh Coordinator of the Pakistan Hajj Volunteers Group (PHVG), which has been serving pilgrims during Hajj since 2011. Over the years, he has helped mobilise, coordinate and train Pakistani volunteers from various parts of Saudi Arabia to assist pilgrims during the annual pilgrimage.

The volunteers support pilgrims in different situations, including guiding them to their allotted tents, helping wheelchair users, assisting movement around Hajj facilities and enabling sick and injured pilgrims to perform Tawaaf-e-Ziyarah while receiving treatment at Pakistan Medical Mission facilities.

PHVG operates in coordination with the Pakistani Hajj Mission, the Embassy of Pakistan and the relevant Saudi authorities. In 2024, the group mobilised and trained more than 1,500 volunteers to serve pilgrims, while its services were also acknowledged by Saudi authorities.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Ahmed Farooq underlined the difficult nature of the volunteers’ duties during Hajj. He said volunteers remain active round the clock during the five days of Hajj and continue to serve pilgrims despite harsh weather and extreme heat.

He said the volunteers assist pilgrims who need medical attention, are separated from their groups, require wheelchairs or need other forms of support. Their assistance, he added, is not restricted to Pakistani pilgrims and is provided to anyone in need.

The ambassador said the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah also facilitates volunteers by sharing information about pilgrims requiring support, showing the importance given to their role during Hajj.

“We are very proud of all three of you for the work that you have done and for the good way that you have carried out these services,” Ambassador Farooq said.

For Abrar Tanoli, the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz recognises not only his services during Hajj but also his wider community work over more than a decade.

Besides his Hajj-related services, Tanoli has helped organise free medical camps for the Pakistani community in Saudi Arabia in collaboration with the Pakistan Doctors Group and the Embassy of Pakistan. These initiatives have supported members of the community, particularly those in need of healthcare assistance.

He is also a founding member of the Al-Bir Group, which provides support to Pakistanis facing financial hardship and other social difficulties.

Tanoli’s welfare services became especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through PHVG, he joined efforts to help Pakistani families who were stranded or facing difficulties during the crisis. Volunteers helped arrange and distribute food, medicines and other essential items to families struggling to meet basic needs.

His community work has also continued in Pakistan, where he supports underprivileged families, deserving individuals and communities facing financial problems.

Members of the Pakistani community have warmly welcomed the recognition, describing the award as an honour for Tanoli, his family and his native area in Mansehra. Congratulatory messages have praised his services for Pakistani pilgrims and the wider community in Saudi Arabia.

The award is also being viewed as recognition of the spirit of volunteerism among overseas Pakistanis who dedicate their time and resources to serving fellow citizens and pilgrims.

Tanoli’s work reflects a consistent commitment to public service alongside his career in the financial sector. From helping Hajj pilgrims and supporting medical camps to providing emergency relief and assisting families in financial difficulty, his welfare activities have remained an important contribution to Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia and in Pakistan.

The Tamgha-e-Imtiaz marks a significant national acknowledgement of Abrar Hussain Tanoli’s long-standing services to pilgrims, community welfare and humanitarian assistance.