Islamabad: The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has always been in the vanguard of action and its humanitarian services rendered during manmade and natural disasters, and during peacetime cannot be over-emphasized, said President Dr. Arif Alvi during a meeting with a PRCS delegation led by Chairman Dr. Saeed Elahi at the President House here on Tuesday.
The President made a special mention of the PRCS community resilience programmes aimed at enhancing the communities’ ability to adapt to changing conditions and withstand and bounce back rapidly from disruptions caused by natural and manmade disasters. He said volunteers are an asset to PRCS and emphasized the need for imparting first aid training to all of them. He directed PRCS to give top priority to first aid, blood donation and ambulance service.
The President said the commencement of ambulance service in major cities of the country is a great achievement and suggested its extension to remotest areas.
Dr. Saeed Elahi apprised the President about different PRCS programmes and termed volunteers as the backbone of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. He said, PRCS has millions of registered volunteers who render services during public awareness campaigns, community projects, and natural and manmade disasters. He said the number of volunteers will be increased to 5 million in the coming years.
The delegation comprised Vice Chairman Naguib Ullah Malik, Treasurer Mumtaz Haider Rizvi, Members Managing Body Sheikh Ahmed Farooq, Dr. Jamal Nasir, Mian Abdul Rauf and Syed Azfar Ali Nasir, Abdul Hadi, Chairperson PRCS Sindh Shahnaz Hamid, Secretary General Khalid Bin Majeed, Deputy Director Finance Muhammad Rashid Gul and Assistant Director IT Farhan Hafeez.