Over 75,000 troops of Pakistan Army to continue relief operation during Eid
PakistanTimes.net Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Over 75,000 troops of Pakistan Army employed in the  earthquake-hit areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP would continue their relief and rescue operation during Eid holidays unhindered.

"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 the 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 Azad Kashmir and NWFP.

Relief Goods

Relief goods were dispatched by road while mules were also used for transporting relief items to those inaccessible areas where there is no road link available or wiped out due to the quake.

Pakistan Army utilised the services of 140 mules for transportation of 4,600 kgs of relief items in village Jacha, Ghonul, Pattika, Padher and Misuch in NWFP areas.

Special arrangements have been made for celebration of Eid with 1852 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 very cordial and congenial environment to the patients.

Specially 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 notables from various shades of the society would visit the hospitals and inquire about the health of the patients, besides spending some time with them. They will also present gifts and express their solidarity with the hospitalised quake victims in this hour of need.

Following October 8 earthquake over 11,000 patients were registered in these Military Hospitals most of them in Rawalpindi.

Besides, medical treatment of the patients at the Military Hospitals, thousands others were injured in the devastating 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.●