ISLAMABAD: In response to the severe floods in the northern regions, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency has launched a project in Muzaffarabad to enhance the capacity of Rescue 1122 under the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).
As part of the initiative, a three-day training programme was conducted, equipping Rescue 1122 personnel and volunteers with essential skills such as Basic Life Support, CPR, flood rescue operations, high-angle rescue techniques, and rope systems.
Alongside the training, the agency provided SDMA with three motorbike ambulances, two rescue motorbikes, one inflatable rescue boat, a drone, water rescue kits and a wide range of first aid and emergency response equipment.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, SDMA Director General Sardar Waheed Khan stated: “The friendship and brotherhood between the people of Türkiye and Kashmir have been proven time and again.
This project, which enhances the response capacity of AJK 1122, is yet another renewal of these strong bonds.”
On behalf of the agency, its Country Coordinator Saliha Tuna emphasised both solidarity with flood-affected families and the long-term impact of the project.
“Through this project, we aim not only to strengthen emergency response capacity, but also to support SDMA in training hundreds of volunteers in the coming years, thereby enhancing community resilience. Türkiye will always stand with Pakistan and AJK in times of need,” she added.
Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2025
