Groundbreaking: Kaller Syedan to have Rescue 1122

Emergency service scheduled to be launched in April next year

RAWALPINDI:

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday laid foundation stone of the Punjab Emergency Service Rescue 1122 service at Kallar Syedan.

The interior minister broke the ground at a ceremony at Tehsil Headquarters’ Hospital Kallar Syedan.

Rawalpindi District Emergency Officer Dr Abdur Rahman presented performance of the emergency service and highlighted its various initiatives. He said the department had responded to a total of 2.9 million victims of emergencies in Punjab since its inception in 2004.

The emergency service — which provides emergency ambulance service, rescue, firefighting, disaster response and community safety services — is now available in most of the tehsils in Punjab.

Dr Rehman also emphasised the need for a comprehensive emergency system at the federal level.

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan appreciated the performance of the rescue service and directed the building department

Rescue Service and directed building department to complete the construction work as soon as possible. The service is scheduled to be launched in April 2014.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Muhammad Waqas told The Express Tribune that project would be completed in six months and three ambulances, two fire trucks would be provided to the Tehsil.

The service is functional in Murree, Gujar Khan and Kahuta tehsils of the Rawalpindi. In Kotli Sattian tehsil, however, the service is not available due to unavailability of land, as all available land is considered protected forest area, the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the construction work would be completed in six months and service would be launched in April 2014.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2014.