Public welfare projects top priority of govt: Kh Salman

LAHORE : Provincial Minister for Health and Emergency Services Khawaja Salman Rafique said that the current government under the supervision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is working day and night on public welfare projects to provide the best services to the people of Punjab.

He said this while addressing the passing out parade at Emergency Services Headquarters at Emergency Services Academy here on Saturday.

Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan and Olympian Arshad Nadeem were the guests of honour at the passing out parade.

Secretary Emergency Services Department (ESD) Dr Rizwan Naseer took the oath from 438 passing-out rescuers trained for Sindh Emergency Rescue Service.

Officers from Punjab and Sindh, Rescue Headquarters & Emergency Services Academy, Divisional Emergency Officers, Rescuers & their families and media personnel also witnessed the passing out parade of Basic Rescue Course-44.

Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique announced the opening of a new rescue office 25 kilometers from Mian Channu. He said that the rescue office in Mian Channu is being named after Arshad Nadeem.

He said that our national hero Arshad Nadeem has made Pakistan proud on the global stage. We love every Pakistani who raises the flag of Pakistan high. Arshad Nadeem is a hardworking and humble person, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik M Ahmad Khan congratulated the passed-out rescuers and their families and instructors of the Emergency Services Academy.

He also paid tribute to national hero Arshad Nadeem for bringing pride to Pakistan. He also congratulated the Punjab Chief Minister for introducing the first air ambulance service in the province.

He said there is no doubt that the unwavering efforts of Dr Rizwan Naseer led to the United Nations certification of Rescue 1122. Rescue 1122 has truly set a standard. The outgoing rescuers have two key responsibilities: to save lives and to uphold the reputation and quality of the organisation.

He expressed his satisfaction on professional training of the rescuers in Emergency Services Academy. He said that rescuers from other provinces who completed the life-saving training in the academy are also carrying the message of brotherhood from Punjab.

He said, “I would like to mention here that we being Pakistani take pride that our Pakistan Rescue Team of Emergency Services Academy is the first United Nations INSARAG certified team in South Asia and due to this certification Rescue Team responded in Turkiye earthquake and saved many lives”.

He said besides that, due to this certification, Pakistan has been given UN INSARAG Asia Pacific Regional Chair 2024 and as a result Pakistan Rescue Team shall be holding two international events here in Lahore in October, 2024. “Indeed, this is highest achievement for which I would like to appreciate and acknowledge the efforts of team commander Dr Rizwan Naseer and every member of the team who brought this honour to Pakistan”.

Secretary Emergency Services also shared the journey of Emergency Services since its inception and achieving the highest recognition from United Nations INSARAG forum and becoming the 1st United Nations INSARAG Rescue Team in South Asia.

Highlighting the performance of Rescue 1122, he informed that Rescue 1122 has so far rescued over 15 million victims of emergencies, respond to over 237,000 fire emergencies and saved losses worth over Rs 673 billion with improving response time and professional firefighting on modern lines.

The Emergency Services Academy has trained over 24,000 emergency personnel for all provinces of Pakistan. He added that ESA is also assisting in the training of other countries i.e. Tajikistan, Syria, and Sri Lanka.

On this occasion Olympian Arshad Nadeem thanked Rescue 1122 and Dr. Rizwan Naseer for the warm reception, noting that the rescuers are doing a great job. Earlier, passed-out cadets demonstrated their professional skills in emergency management during mock exercises of deep-well rescue, water rescue, firefighting, urban search and rescue, rescue from confined space, and rescue from height.

In the end, the guests of honour gave away awards to the best-performing rescuers of the course.