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Rescuing defenders of world's highest battleground

Pakistani soldiers use heavy machinery to dig through the snow at the site of an avalanche in Gyari sector near the Siachin glacier April 18, 2012. After touring the site of an avalanche that buried 129 Pakistani soldiers near the border with rival India, the country's army chief made a rare call on Wednesday for the demilitarisation of the world's highest battlefield. General Ashfaq Kayani was speaking 11 days after a Pakistani army battalion headquarters near the Siachen Glacier in the disputed Kashmir region was engulfed by up to 80 feet (25 metres) of snow. Eleven civilians were also trapped. PHOTO: REUTERS

Pakistani soldiers look at the site of an avalanche during an ongoing operation at the Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier on April 18, 2012. Rescuers are still searching for nearly 140 soldiers buried by the mass of snow and rock at Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier, 4,000 metres above sea level. More than 450 rescuers are working at the site near the de facto border with India in the militarised region of Kashmir, though experts have said there is virtually no chance of finding any survivors. PHOTO: AFP

A Pakistani soldier works with a sniffer dog to search for avalanche victims during an ongoing operation at the Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier on April 18, 2012. Rescuers are still searching for nearly 140 soldiers buried by the mass of snow and rock at Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier, 4,000 metres above sea level. More than 450 rescuers are working at the site near the de facto border with India in the militarised region of Kashmir, though experts have said there is virtually no chance of finding any survivors. PHOTO: AFP

Pakistani military personnel use heavy machinery as they search for avalanche victims during an ongoing operation at the Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier on April 18, 2012. Rescuers are still searching for nearly 140 soldiers buried by the mass of snow and rock at Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier, 4,000 metres above sea level. More than 450 rescuers are working at the site near the de facto border with India in the militarised region of Kashmir, though experts have said there is virtually no chance of finding any survivors. PHOTO: AFP

Pakistani soldiers take a break during an ongoing operation at Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier on April 18, 2012. Rescuers are still searching for nearly 140 soldiers buried by the mass of snow and rock at Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier, 4,000 metres above sea level. More than 450 rescuers are working at the site near the de facto border with India in the militarised region of Kashmir, though experts have said there is virtually no chance of finding any survivors. PHOTO: AFP

A Pakistani soldier wearing sunglasses looks on at the avalanche site during an ongoing operation at Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier on April 18, 2012. Rescuers are still searching for nearly 140 soldiers buried by the mass of snow and rock at Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier, 4,000 metres above sea level. More than 450 rescuers are working at the site near the de facto border with India in the militarised region of Kashmir, though experts have said there is virtually no chance of finding any survivors. PHOTO: AFP

Pakistani military personnel use heavy machinery as they search for avalanche victims during an ongoing operation at Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier on April 18, 2012. Rescuers are still searching for nearly 140 soldiers buried by the mass of snow and rock at Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier, 4,000 metres above sea level. More than 450 rescuers are working at the site near the de facto border with India in the militarised region of Kashmir, though experts have said there is virtually no chance of finding any survivors. PHOTO: AFP

A Pakistani soldier works with a sniffer dog to search for avalanche victims during an ongoing operation at Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier on April 18, 2012. Rescuers are still searching for nearly 140 soldiers buried by the mass of snow and rock at Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier, 4,000 metres above sea level. More than 450 rescuers are working at the site near the de facto border with India in the militarised region of Kashmir, though experts have said there is virtually no chance of finding any survivors. PHOTO: AFP

This handout photograph released by Pakistan's Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) on April 14, 2012, shows Pakistani military officials briefing a foreign rescue team prior to commencing their rescue work at the avalanche site in the Siachen Glacier. Pakistani troops began excavating a new site in their search for 138 people buried by an avalanche at a high-altitude army camp despite a fresh slide in the area, the military said on April 14. PHOTO: AFP

Rescue work by Pak Army at Gayari, pictures were taken in Moring 15 Apr 2012. – PHOTO ISPR

Rescue teams busy digging snow in search of 138 people buried by an avalanche in Siachen.

Hakeem

Apr 19, 2012 - 4:18PM

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Stunning pictures!

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PostMan

Apr 19, 2012 - 5:13PM

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Picture 18 and 19 (Tab 4 – pic 4,5) contain wrong text related to the picture. Kindly correct.

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Mohammad Ali Siddiqui

Apr 19, 2012 - 9:13PM

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Thank you ISPR for releasing the photographs taken on April 15, 2012 of the world’s highest battleground Siachen.

The nation is indebted for the sacrifices which our Army Jawans have been making to defend the country after its creation in 1947.

There are external threats as well as internal threats and whenever the country is threatened, it is our Army Jawans who come forward to save the country.

People of Pakistan have highest respects and regards for our Army Jawans who are securing our borders as well as the highest battle ground of Siachen.

The entire nation is praying for the safe and early recovery of our Army Jawans who have been buried alive under the avalanche.

At this moment of grief and sorrow, the nation stand behind the family members of our Army Jawans who are trapped under the avalanche at Siachen mountains.

May Al-Mighty Allah help us all in these testing hours. Ameen.

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Tamoor

Apr 19, 2012 - 11:39PM

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Pakistan Zindabad.

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Fauji

Apr 20, 2012 - 12:42AM

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The Hanging Glacier came down finally, Great Loss Indeed…..!

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vigilant

Apr 20, 2012 - 6:48PM

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We salute u…our brave soilders

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A. Khan

Apr 20, 2012 - 9:57PM

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Once again, I have to ask the question. Why was the base situated at the foot of a mountain, close to a ravine down which avalanches can thunder ? Be that as it may, why were the people not trained to keep an eye out for build up of snow on surrounding mountains which can slide down the mountain resulting in an avalanche.

This is a very sad and sorry state of affairs caused by sheer negligence on part of our military. This tragedy was entirely preventable.

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confused

Apr 21, 2012 - 12:57PM

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We are all indebted to the brave soldiers who sacrifice their lives so that we are safe. I dont think most of us can even begin to imagine the debt of that magnitude.

My question is: why is there a battleground in Siachen. What are we defending and whom are we defending from.

Do we think that these boys and men are so cheap that we can just send them to their deaths with such disdain

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ahmed

Apr 21, 2012 - 2:42PM

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its a good question asked by Mr A Khan, yes it should have been like this but a place where for past 30 years nothing has happened u seldom fear anything. in such areas u evaluate through experience and normal trends to declare Avalanche Prone areas and safe areas. Through experience it was concluded that it was not an avalanche prone area. But, there is always first time in life. There are many things changing in world, atmospheric changes. it would perhaps become a case study for National Geographic or discovery. i am sure now procedures would be formulated, in the wake of this tragic incident, to evaluate changing geographic conditions perhaps every 5 years. Trust me, in these areas u just can not say for sure what will happen where, how and in which magnitude. Why the base was situated here? yes a prudent question to which u will find answer in my above written lines and secondly….u can not climb to 4th floor without passing through 1st to 3rd and most importantly u need to cut short the distances since height is too much and body gets fatigued in quick time. u need to get acclimatized every 1000 feet. As i said, there is always first time in life. Loss is inexplicable.Long Live Pak Army.

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Gulfraz

Apr 21, 2012 - 6:03PM

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We salute you and your greatness dear

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Hassan

Apr 21, 2012 - 6:54PM

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I hope my nation and the people ruling it don’t forget this sacrifice and all these jawans stood for.

God bless Pakistan.Recommend
Abbas

Apr 22, 2012 - 5:58AM

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As a Muslim we believe that everything happens it is from the God but there is a lesson to be learn t & to think about it.No blame game.

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khalid

Apr 23, 2012 - 1:18PM

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that is too much difficult plan , that is over brave persons doing/ job and saving over country , and serving own soul to the country

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Ahmer Jamil Khan

Apr 24, 2012 - 5:09PM

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I was surprised by the discription of the first photograph:

near the border with rival India

I think the one who wrote it over looks the fact that pakistan and India, both, regard one another as their most favoured nation, and the two countries are NOT in a state of war or any hostilities!

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