Army airlifts supplies to Leepa Valley

RAWALPINDI: With heavy snow restricting access to the remote Leepa Valley, Pakistan Army said on Thursday they had airlifted supplies to people stranded in the valley.

In a statement released by the military’s media wing, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), military helicopters were provided to carry out relief operations in the remote valley of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The service was started after a blaze, ostensibly due to short circuit on Sunday, had reduced the main market in Leepa Valley to ashes.



According to reports, a fire broke out in the market at around 1am on Sunday and quickly 88 shops, six houses, three jeeps and a number of motorcycles were damaged in the blaze.

A government food depot, located nearby, with 1,400 bags of wheat and flour, was burnt to ashes in the fire.

Owing to the gravity of the situation, compounded by intermittent snowfall, army troops along with civil administration quickly responded to the situation. The military said they helped bring the fire under control by dawn and also helped to prevent further loss of life and property.

Thereafter, troops helped provide relief items to locals.

A total of 150 soldiers participated in the relief and rescue operations.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2017.