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LAHORE, Oct 20 (APP):Federal Minister for Planning Development & Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, formally inaugurated the 3-day National Rescue Challenge 2025 at the Emergency Services Academy (ESA), Lahore here on Monday.
A total of 15 teams are participating in the event, including nine divisional teams of Punjab Rescue 1122, as well as teams from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan Army, CDA Islamabad and the University of Lahore.
Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal participated as the chief guest, while Provincial Minister for Emergency Services Khawaja Salman Rafique, Secretary Emergency Services Dr. Rizwan Naseer, divisional emergency officers, academy & headquarters officials and trainee rescuers attended the ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal congratulated the organisers on holding the National Rescue Challenge 2025 and said he was pleased to see participation from various provinces, Pakistan Army, CDA Islamabad, educational institutions and Punjab Divisional Rescue teams. He appreciated Khawaja Salman Rafique as a dedicated and hardworking member of the government team and remarked, “The spirit with which our atomic scientists worked for Pakistan’s nuclear program is the same spirit I see in Rescue 1122.” Ahsan Iqbal added, “If Pakistan could have a hundred Dr. Rizwan Naseers, achieving our vision of a one trillion-dollar economy by 2035 would be much easier.” He further emphasized the female participation in the challenge, expressing hope that “next year at least 30 to 40 percent of the teams will comprise women rescuers, enabling them to play an active role in emergencies where women victims are involved. Our daughters are not behind anyone they are a step ahead.”
Addressing the opening ceremony, Provincial Minister for Emergency Services Khawaja Salman Rafique said that the participation of teams from different provinces and institutions in the National Rescue Challenge 2025 is highly encouraging.
He expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif for entrusting him with the responsibility of departments dedicated to serving humanity. Referring to Ahsan Iqbal as his brother, he praised him as “a visionary, educated, honest and sincere leader.” He highlighted that, for the first time in Pakistan’s history, a historic Air Ambulance Service has been launched, through which over 200 patients have been rescued so far. He expressed that certification of Rescue 1122 by the United Nations is a matter of pride for the entire nation, while the participation of teams from more than 23 countries in last year’s international exercise reflects global trust and confidence in Pakistan and Rescue 1122. Salman Rafique lauded the rescuers’ heroic efforts during the recent floods, stating that they conducted the largest rescue operation in history side by side with the Pakistan Army. He saluted the rescuers on behalf of the entire Pakistani nation and said the Emergency Services Academy has become a prestigious institution where the National Rescue Challenge provides a one more valuable opportunity for rescuers to further enhance their professional skills.
In his address, Secretary Emergency Services Dr. Rizwan Naseer welcomed all the participating teams to the National Rescue Challenge at the ESA, Lahore and extended best wishes for their success. He said that the challenge aims to improve coordination and ensure uniform standard of emergency response teams in the country. He briefed the guests about various challenge tasks and operations including Trauma Management, Fire Fitness, Cable Cart & High-Angle Rescue, Water Rescue and Deep Well Rescue, which were designed to simulate realistic search and rescue scenarios. These competitions will be evaluated by senior instructors according to international emergency response standards and the overall performance scores will determine the winning positions.