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LAHORE, Jul 25 (APP):A total of 782 rescuers from Punjab and Sindh were formally inducted into the Emergency Services Department after completing their professional training at a prestigious passing-out ceremony held at the Rescue 1122 Academy, Lahore, on Friday.
The oath was administered by Secretary Punjab Emergency Services (PES), Dr. Rizwan Naseer, while Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique was the chief guest. Prominent dignitaries, including the Consul General of China, Zhao Shiren and the Consul General of Turkiye, Durmus Bastug, along with senior officers from the Rescue 1122 department and other guests, also attended the ceremony.
Addressing the gathering, Health Minister Salman Rafique expressed appreciation for the participation of international guests, noting that their presence reflected the strong bilateral ties and cooperation in the areas of disaster response and emergency training. He acknowledged the unwavering support from China and Turkiye in enhancing Pakistan’s rescue capabilities.
He further highlighted major public welfare initiatives launched under the leadership of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, including the Air Ambulance Service, Motorway Ambulance Service, Community Emergency Response Teams for rural areas, Rescue Scouts Corps and the expansion of emergency services to 56 additional towns.
The minister paid tribute to the 27 martyrs of PES, particularly honoring Rescuer Muhammad Shoaib and Syed Nazim Hussain, who lost their lives last week while saving others.
Speaking on the occasion, Chinese Consul General Zhao Shiren commended the commitment and training of the graduating cadets. “This graduation not only marks the end of training but the beginning of a lifelong humanitarian mission,” he said, emphasising the importance of Pakistan-China cooperation in disaster preparedness and emergency response.
Turkish Consul General Durmus Bastug lauded the Academy’s achievement of UN INSARAG certification under Dr. Rizwan Naseer’s leadership. He recognised Pakistan’s vital rescue assistance during the 2023 Turkiye earthquake, calling the rescuers “beacons of hope” and praising the newly launched Air and Motorway Ambulance Services.
Secretary, PES Dr. Rizwan, in his address, outlined the evolution and achievements of Rescue 1122, including the rescue of over 17.8 million victims since its establishment in 2004. He noted that the fire rescue service had handled more than 270,000 fire emergencies, saving property worth over Rs. 740 billion. Rizwan also highlighted the success of the rescue motorbike service, which had responded to over 3.5 million emergencies with an average response time of just four minutes.
Earlier, cadets performed mock drills showcasing their expertise in deep-well rescue, water rescue, firefighting, urban search and rescue, confined space rescue and high-altitude operations. A symbolic Australian rappelling exercise featured the flags of Pakistan, China and Turkiye, underscoring the spirit of international solidarity.