SHANGLA: The residents of Kana tehsil here on Monday attacked a Rescue 1122 team, injuring three officials and damaging its ambulances.

Rasool Khan, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122 Shangla, told Dawn on contact that the service had got an emergency call from Borshat area about a fire incident. However, when the rescuers along with ambulances reached the spot a group of enraged people started throwing stones at them, leaving three rescuers injured.

He said the ambulances were also damaged, adding the villagers did not allow the rescuers to extinguish the blaze. He said as the Rescue 1122 station in Shangla was located at a distance of around 40 kilometres from Borshat area the rescue team arrived late which enraged the people.

He said the rescue service had lodged an FIR in the Karora police station.

SHO Bakht Zahir Khan told Dawn that FIR had been registered against 25 people belonging to Borshat area and raids were being conducted for their arrest.

Meanwhile, civil society activists condemned the incident and called for action against the attackers.

Activist Jamshid Ali Shah said instead of thanking the rescue personnel for responding to their call the villagers attacked them for being late.

Activist Mian Mazhar Ali also condemned the attack and said only objective of rescue workers was to save precious lives.

Rescue 1122 district emergency officer Nasir Khan said reaching far-off and inaccessible areas always took time, adding the rescue team was attacked by some miscreants.

He hoped the police would punish the suspects as per the law. He appealed to the public to give respect to the rescuers because their main objective was to provide help in disasters.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2020