Rescue 1122 will expand to Punjab tehsils by 2019

Service celebrates 14 years in all 36 district of Punjab

LAHORE: The Punjab Emergency Services (Rescue 1122) director has revealed that operations would be expanded to the tehsil level by the end of 2019.

He recalled that it was only third-party evaluation, which found the service to have exemplary levels of training, quality care, response and professionalism, that it was expanded to all 36 districts of Punjab.

He was speaking on the occasion of the Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) celebrating 14 years in all 36 districts of the province.

During this period, it has rescued around 6.3 million victims of different emergencies.

To mark the achievement, a ceremony was held at PCSIR Hall from where the service was inaugurated on 14 October, 2004, or 14 years ago by the then Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

Perhaps fittingly, Elahi was the chief guest on the 14th anniversary of the Punjab Emergency Service.

Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer congratulated all rescuers, especially the pioneers, upon completion of 14 years of the service. He said that the employees performed their duty with dedication, providing timely emergency care to 6.3 million victims of emergencies and disasters.

DG Rescue Punjab concluded his remarks by saying that Rescue 1122, which was just an idea 14 years ago, has now turned into a reality of an effective system of emergency preparedness, response and prevention. He said although an international standard emergency service is available, the rising number of avoidable road traffic accidents and fire incidents necessitate the need to work together for prevention of such emergencies to build a safer Pakistan.

Speaker Punjab Assembly said it was a great moment for him to be with the “rescue” family, especially as the service started during his tenure as chief minister.

“This is the only reason that every government was compelled to own it. Its ability to serve the nation, via professional service delivery, is self-explanatory”. He also appreciated the efforts of Founder/Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer and his pioneering team. He expressed his deepest gratitude to the service for over 14 years of humanitarian services with professional excellence.