Interior Minister of Pakistan Ijaz Shah was the chief guest at the 9th National Rescue Challenge (NRC) that has been organized at Emergency Services Academy from 8-10th October 2020 to improve coordination, ensure skill enhancement, and uniform standards of emergency services in the country. Senior Government officers from other provinces, Regional Emergency Officers, Rescue officers from Emergency Services Headquarters and Academy, and a large number of rescuers attended the ceremony.
Speaking to the participating teams, the Interior Minister said that he is happy to see that the reforms started from the interior ministry in 2001 by Dr Rizwan Naseer benefitted the whole country in form of Rescue 1122 Service and Emergency Services Academy. The presence of teams from different provinces shows that Emergency Services Academy is playing the role of National level organization as imparting training to emergency professionals and providing technical assistance to all provinces.
He said that It is also a matter of great pleasure that the Pakistan Rescue Team of Emergency Services Academy has become the 1st United Nations INSARAG certified Search and Rescue Team in South Asia. “I congratulate Team Commander Dr Rizwan Naseer, Team Leader Dr Farhan Khalid, all squad leaders, and all team members who made us proud by getting international certification. He requested the Sindh as well and the Azad Kashmir governments to establish Rescue Services so that residents of Sindh and AJK could get timely professional emergency care without any discrimination. Ijaz Shah presented National Rescue Challenge Trophy to the winning KPK Peshawar Team 2020 and runner-up Trophy to Rescue Service Rawalpindi and Gujrat team by getting equal marks in all competitions of the 9th National Rescue Challenge.
Earlier DG Emergency Services Dr Rizwan Naseer welcomed the chief guest and congratulated winning teams and appreciated the Academy Officers and Instructors for organizing a healthy competition for all emergency services of Pakistan. He briefed the chief guest about the journey started from reforms in 2001 for Emergency Management System and finally UN certification. He appreciated the teams and asked them to show the same spirit and passion while dealing with emergencies in respective districts and provinces.
The team of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Rescue Service from Peshawar won the 9th National Rescue Challenge – 2020. The Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Rescue Team competed with 15 teams from Punjab, Gilgit Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, Waziristan, Baluchistan, Quetta, Rescue Wardens from Sialkot and the University of Lahore and participated in seven challenges including Trauma, Fire Fit, Water Rescue, Swimming, Deep Well Rescue, and Height Rescue Challenges.
The Team performed as per the international standards of emergency management in difficult emergency scenarios and situations. Furthermore, Punjab two Rescue Teams from Rawalpindi and Gujrat remained on the second position by getting equal marks in the competition.
