Within days of the announcement of Punjab budget for 2015 and around a week before the start of Ramzan, the leading newspapers of the province carried advertisements placed by Rescue 1122 seeking donations from citizens. It was requested in the advertisement that the people who wanted to donate money should submit it in the bank account number mentioned there.

This appeal made by the organisation caused furore and invited severe criticism from different quarters including opposition parties and the media. Former Punjab CM Pervaiz Elahi wasted no time in hosting a press conference and blaming the incumbent government for trying to ruin the emergency service that he had helped launch during his tenure. He said it was a pity that a service that should have been the priority of the government was forced to beg for donations in order to survive.

Different sections of press also joined the tirade and criticised Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif for making huge allocations worth scores of billions of rupees for metro bus and metro train projects, ignoring the Rescue 1122 altogether. He was also criticised for spending Rs450 million on renovation of his residences and setting up of 12 helipads across the province so that he could visit Ramzan bazaars with convenience.

While the Rescue 1122 clarifies that it is a routine matter to seek donations, critics claim that the affairs of the department are getting from bad to worse due to government’s indifference and lack of resources. In this situation, they claim, the appeal for donations makes sense and shows that the government is not providing the requisite funds.

Shahid Ali, a trader based in Urdu Bazar, says though Rescue 1122 is performing its basic function of moving patients and the injured very well, its real test is about handling fire incidents where it is often not so successful.

"The advertisement that created this controversy was discontinued due to the negative impact it had created. It was in fact a matter of timing that led to this criticism and there was nothing wrong with it," says Dr Rizwan Naseer, Director General (DG) Rescue 1122. He tells TNS that the provision of seeking donations is there in The Punjab Emergency Service Act 2006.

The relevant section of the law states: "The Service shall have the authority to accept donations in the shape of land, vehicles, equipment and other such items which may facilitate the functioning of the Service and all such donations shall be used, maintained and disposed of by the Service in the manner prescribed in the rules or regulations."

He says the impression that the critics got was that the Rescue 1122 service was fighting the battle of its survival and if not awarded donations would not be able to carry on with operations. He says this is not the case as they are in an expansion phase with 90 tehsils already covered, 62 more approved and a plan underway to cover the whole province at tehsil level within two to three years. "The budgetary allocations for the service during the current year are higher than the last year which makes all this criticism redundant," he comments.

On the use of donations, Naseer says that they prefer donations in kind and have received them in the form of ambulances and other equipment. The cash donations, he says, go to the kitty and their use is decided jointly by the board and each and every penny received is accounted for. He cites an example and says that these funds lying in reserve can be used for timely replacement of vehicles -- something which does not happen due to the procedural delays in operational matters. He says under the standard operating procedures (SOPs), emergency vehicles shall be replaced after running 100,000 kilometres but last time these were replaced after 250,000 kilometres. The reason, he says, was that though they had applied for funds well in time, it took quite a lot of time to get the formalities completed.

An employee of Rescue 1122 agrees with what his boss says but adds that there are reasons other than financial that have harmed the service. He says despite passage of more than 10 years after its formation, the Rescue 1122 does not have any service structure.

The staffers of the service, he says, are depressed and opting for lower rank jobs in other departments as they are serving in the same grade in which they were appointed a decade ago. Promotions are made on discretionary basis and without following any rules, he concludes.

Jam Sajjad, spokesman of Rescue 1122, agrees that non-existence of service structure is an issue but expresses hope that it will be finalised soon. He says the structure has been approved and all that is required is the approval of the home department.

Sajjad reiterates that the advertisement was published as a matter of routine and this happens every year "but this time it was discussed vis-a-vis other allocation made in the budget". He says many citizens do not know that the very foundation of the service was based on donations. "The first 14 ambulances inducted to its fleet after its formation were donated by philanthropists," he adds.

Replying to the allegations of inability to handle fires, Sajjad says the fire-fighters try their best but face difficulties due to several reasons. "They do have equipment but it cannot be used properly due to the non-availability of hydrants across the city, violations of building rules, non-availability of building plans that show entry and exit points and so on," he concludes.