Hyderabad: A Hyderabad man is battling for life in a coma in Saudi Arabia, with his family at risk of being forced to leave as their visas near expiry.
An appeal has been submitted to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar seeking intervention to extend the visas on humanitarian grounds.
The request was raised by Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) spokesperson Amjed Ullah Khan regarding Zia Ul Hassan, a resident of Aghapura, who suffered a cardiac arrest on March 17 and remains in critical condition at a hospital in Al Khobar.
He requires constant medical attention and is not fit to travel, according to the letter dated Thursday, April 16.
In the absence of immediate family members locally, his brother, Shamsul, travelled to Saudi Arabia along with his wife and son on a 90-day Umrah visa to care for him. Their visas are set to expire on April 18.
The letter states that the continued presence of close family members is essential during this period, citing medical advice. It also notes that the patient’s wife is unable to travel due to advanced pregnancy, leaving the current attendants as the only available caregivers.
Khan has urged the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to take up the matter with Saudi authorities and facilitate either an extension of the existing visas or issuance of fresh visas.
The appeal warns that any disruption in caregiving could adversely affect the patient’s condition.
