Army intensifies rescue, relief missions

RAWALPINDI: In the wake of increasing devastation due to floods, the armed forces of Pakistan have intensified their rescue and relief missions in various regions of the country.

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited army troops busy in relief activities in far-flung flood-affected areas of Sindh, including Khairpur and Kambar Shahdad Kot, the military said in a statement.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the COAS spent whole day with the flood victims in relief and medical camps established for local population at village Jilani, Khairpur and Kambar Shahdad Kot.

The flood victims thanked the COAS for reaching out to them and sharing their problems and discomfort due to floods. The army chief met troops on ground and appreciated their efforts for bringing comfort to the people awaiting their support. “Helping the people of Pakistan in need is a noble cause and we must take pride to serve them to best of our abilities,” the COAS emphasised.

The ISPR said the Pakistan Army Aviation, keeping in with their traditions, would not hesitate to save their brothers and sisters in line with the COAS vision that “people of Pakistan are our priority and we won’t rest until every single individual is reached out and helped”.

Meanwhile, at least 60 tourists, including a Spanish couple, were rescued by the army helicopters on Sunday. These tourists were trapped in Kumrat Valley in the Upper Dir district of KP due to continuous rains and flooding.

Tourists, including Maryam Bibi and foreigners, were stranded in the valley due to flash floods and they had appealed to the government to expedite rescue operations as they were running out of food and drinking water.

They were airlifted by Army Aviation helicopters and shifted to Sheringal University, Upper Dir district. The tourists thanked the Pakistan Army for the rescue operation. The rescued Spanish tourist couple said, “We were in a lot of trouble; the rain was heavy and the river was in flood. We are thankful to Pakistan Army.”

The Spanish couple also said thank you [Shukeriya] Pakistan Army in Urdu. Maryam Bibi later told the media she had been shifted to Sheringal University with her colleagues. The Pak Army Sunday also conducted a relief operation in Rajanpur district and provided aid by distributing ration bags, whereas tents were provided to the affected. The army continued rescue and relief operations in all the flood-hit areas of Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts, the ISPR said.

Pakistan Army teams rescued a number of people stranded in affected areas, including women and children, along with their belongings and shifted them to the safer places. The ISPR said that Pakistan Army had established 212 relief collection points to support the flood affected. As many as 81 relief collection points have been set up in Sindh, 73 in Punjab, 41 in Balochistan and 17 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

The Pakistan Army had also established flood relief donation account to help flood victims. “The Title of Account - Army Relief For Flood Affectees (Askari Bank GHQ Branch) Account No -00280100620583,” it said.

In Balochistan, Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps established relief camps in Quetta, Muslim Bagh, Chaman, Sui, Dera Bugti, Sibi, Lehri, Nasirabad, Bela, Uthal and Jaffarabad areas, which were providing food and other amenities.

Moreover, free medical camps were being established at Quetta, Muslim Bagh, Sui, Dera Bugti, Sibi, Dobandi, Lehri, Sadori, Lakra and Lasbela district for flood victims. In Punjab, rescue and relief operations were being carried out at Dera Ghazi Khan, Rojhan and Layyah where troops had provided stranded families with food and other amenities.

In Rajanpur district, relief and rescue efforts were made through a number of helicopter sorties, including Harrand, Tehsil Jampur, Nurpur Majhu-wala, Tehsil Jampur, Mauza Kaan-wala, Tehsil Jampur, Mari Jampur, Darbar Sakhi Bor Jampur, Bambli Jampur, Basti Nokhami Jampur, Dera Dildar tehsil Rojhan, Dera Jeewan, Tehsil Rojhan, Chak Mat No 2 Tehsil Rojhan.

In Sindh, the Pakistan Army carried out rescue and relief operations in Khairpur District, Larkana District, Naushero Feroze district, Shikarpur district, Kamber Shadad Kot district, Jacobabad district, Kashmore district, Badin district, Mirpurkhas district, Sanghar district, Mitiari district, Umerkot district, Hyderabad district, Tando Muhammad Khan district, Thatta district, Jamshoro district, Badin district, Sujawal district, and Dadu district.

Some four medical camps were established at Badin, Sujawal, Thatta and Umerkot. More than 1,700 patients were treated at Badin, Sujawal, Thatta and Umerkot. In KP, the relief camps were accommodating 150 individuals, established in flood-affected areas of the province. However, forward placement of troops was carried out at Attock and Abbottabad.

Some four field medical camps were established in flood-affected areas where 715 patients were treated. Some seven relief camps were established for flood affected in Charsadda, whereas three relief camps were established in each tehsil of Nowshera district where necessary assistance was being provided to civil administration.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Navy conducted rescue and relief operation on Sunday in coastal and creeks areas. The Navy extended its teams to areas of Sanghar, Qambar Shahdad Kot, Sukkur, Bakrani, Larkana, Mirpurkhas and Dadu on special request from Sindh government, a Pakistan Navy news release said.

The population of an entire village of Dadu district, Goth Muhammad Hassan Chandio, was evacuated through Sea King Helicopter. Pakistan Navy troops distributed dry ration, cooked food, fresh drinking water, tents and other household items to affected populace through land and aerial means, especially to the people stuck at their homes and not willing to leave.

Separately, the Emergency Response teams of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) are assisting the civil administration in rescue and relief efforts in the flood affected areas of south Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh. The PAF bases are actively participating in relief operations, said a PAF media release.

In the past few days, 3,090 cooked food packs, 7,443 pounds medicines, 930 tents and 5,153 ration packs were distributed amongst the needy families of Uthal, Lakhra, Matyari, Shahdadkot, Sohbatpur, Qila Abdullah, Fazilpur, Jhaal Magsi, Hajipur, Basti Sher Muhammad and Basti Jageer Gabool.

Moreover, 114 patients were attended by medical teams of Pakistan Air Force in district Rajanpur area during the last 24 hours. 17 persons were also evacuated to safety by Emergency Response teams of PAF, which are constantly busy in providing relief to the flood affected.