By Junaid Toru
Director General of Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shah Fahad, has said that the department has played a vital role in safeguarding the lives of citizens across the province by responding to a wide range of emergencies since its establishment. Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar, he said that Rescue 1122 has also launched awareness campaigns aimed at educating the public on how to stay safe during various types of incidents.
Sharing the department’s performance figures, Shah Fahad revealed that since 2010, Rescue 1122 has responded to more than 219,700 road traffic accidents across the province. In addition, its teams have provided services in over 968,700 medical emergencies. The department also dealt with around 37,300 fire incidents and took part in rescue operations during more than 26,000 crime-related emergencies. Furthermore, Rescue 1122 responded to over 270,600 referral emergencies, while its teams were also involved in rescue operations during approximately 1,900 incidents involving the collapse of buildings. Shah Fahad stated that the department is actively working with the Planning and Development Department to expand Rescue 1122 services to 56 additional tehsils in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He emphasized that this expansion will ensure faster response times and improved emergency coverage in under-served areas of the province.
He noted that the department’s annual budget now exceeds Rs 2 billion, with a significant portion of expenses attributed to the fueling of emergency vehicles and procurement of medicines and medical supplies necessary for first response. Commenting on the recent surge in forest fire incidents, the DG said that Rescue 1122 is coordinating closely with district administrations to devise effective strategies to deal with such emergencies. He added that the department is also increasing the number of trained volunteers in high-risk areas to strengthen firefighting capabilities. Shah Fahad reaffirmed Rescue 1122’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the province, stating that the service will continue to evolve and improve in order to meet the growing needs of the public.
