Punjab mobilises 164k volunteers with life-saving training

LAHORE:

The Punjab government has launched a large-scale Basic Life Support (BLS) training programme for civil defence volunteers, capitalising on a surge in public registrations to strengthen the province's emergency response capabilities.

The initiative, inaugurated at the Services Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS) on October 20, aims to create a corps of master trainers equipped to handle medical crises, accidents, and natural disasters.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials, including Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique and Transport Minister Bilal Akbar Khan.

Reflecting on the program's significance, Minister Rafique connected it to a legacy of public service, recalling his father's role as Chief Warden of Lahore during the 1965 war.

He also contextualised the need for preparedness, stating he had personally visited Bahawalpur on the night of May 6-7, when "India targeted innocent civilians with terrorism."

This aligns with Pakistan's official stance on cross-border tensions that briefly escalated in May 2025.