ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: At least 75,000 troops of the Pakistan Army deployed in the earthquake-hit areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP would continue their relief and rescue operation unhindered during Eid holidays.
“Relief and rescue operations will continue during the Eid holidays without break,” says an ISPR news release.
Senior military commanders shall be with the troops in the field on Eid day, in keeping with military traditions.
Around 44 helicopters, including 15 of allied countries, flew over 100 hours to airlift 221 tons of relief items to the affected areas during the last 24 hours. During these sorties some 1,489 tents and 6,227 blankets were transported to various affected parts of the NWFP and Azad Kashmir.
Relief goods were dispatched by road while pack mules were also used for transporting relief items to the inaccessible areas where there is no road link available or have been wiped out due to the quake.
The Pakistan Army utilized the services of 140 pack mules for transportation of 4,600kg of relief items in the Jacha village, Ghonul, Pattika, Padher and Misuch in NWFP areas.
Special arrangements have been made for celebration of Eid with 1,852 patients who are still admitted in various military hospitals at Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Nowshera, Abbottabad, Murree, Mangla, Jhelum, Kharian, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Lahore.
Doctors, paramedics and authorities at the military hospitals are committed to provide a cordial and congenial environment to the patients. Especially-trained nursing staff and other paramedics have been employed to take care of those who are still under treatment in these hospitals.
Many senior army officers and their families besides influential people from various sectors of the society would visit the hospitals and inquire about the health of the patients. They will also present gifts and express their solidarity with the hospitalized quake victims in their hour of need.
Following the October 8 earthquake, over 11,000 patients were registered in these military hospitals, most of them in Rawalpindi.
Besides medical treatment of patients at military hospitals, thousands of others who were injured during the quake are being treated by a team of 121 army doctors and 334 paramedics in forward areas.
Presently, over 600 doctors and 808 paramedics, including foreign countries, NGOs and volunteers, are providing necessary medical treatment to earthquake victims in forward areas.
Army doctors at the military hospitals carried out 4,976 major and 7,043 minor operations.—APP
ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: At least 75,000 troops of the Pakistan Army deployed in the earthquake-hit areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP would continue their relief and rescue operation unhindered during Eid holidays.
