Pakistan to host International Rescue Challenge

Rawalpindi:The Pakistan will host the first International Rescue Challenge followed by Asia Pacific Earthquake Response Exercise (ERE) 2024.

The Commander United Nations (UN) INSARAG Certified - Pakistan Rescue Team (PRT), Dr. Rizwan Naseer made this announcement at the United Nations INSARAG New Year Tele Conference.

This conference provided opportunity for INSARAG Regional Chairs 2024 to be officially introduced and to thank the outgoing INSARAG Regional Chairs 2023. While speaking during the conference, Dr Rizwan Naseer thanked United Nations INSARAG Secretariat Geneva at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and OCHA Pakistan for their support and guidance during the process leading to the classification of Pakistan Rescue 1122 team. Due to this Classification Pakistan Rescue 1122 team was able to respond to the Turkiye Earthquake and saved many lives. He also shared key regional strategic directions for 2024 which included first International Rescue Challenge and Asia Pacific Earthquake Response Exercise 2024 in Pakistan. He said that Pakistan Rescue 1122 team being first UN INSARAG Certified Team in South Asia would facilitate the process of the Asia Pacific Regional Activities in 2024.

The incoming INSARAG Global Chair Ambassador Dominik Stillhart, Sara Muscroft, Chief of Emergency Response OCHA Geneva and Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, INSARAG Secretary opened the conference. Subsequently, the Regional Chairs from Asia Pacific, Americas and Africa Europe Middle East (AEME) Regional also including Dr. Rizwan Naseer, commander Pakistan Rescue team updated the present and new developments related to INSARAG activities.