LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Monday approved regularisation of 3,235 employees besides enhancing the retirement age from 45 years to 50 years for rescuers to further improve Rescue 1122 service. The chief minister also approved pay and other fringe benefits for rescuers during training.

Chairing a meeting of the Punjab Emergency Council meeting at the chief minister’s secretariat, the chief minister also approved six month’s extension for Dr Rizwan Naseer for the post of Rescue 1122 director general. He said that appointment of a new Rescue 1122 DG should be ensured within this period.

The chief minister was told that more than 600,000 peoplehad benefited from motorbike ambulance service alone.

The chief minister directed that the availability of emergency exits in highrises and commercial plazas be ensured and ordered a report after a comprehensive inspection of such buildings adding that availability of hydrants should be ensured so that fire-brigade vehicles need not to go far away to fetch water to extinguish fire.

He stressed that the installation of fire safety equipment should also be ensured.The chief minister announced expanding the scope of motorbike ambulance service to the district level and added that every district would be given 50 bikes for ambulance service.

He said 250 new ambulances had been procured and added that the Rescue 1122 would now be run in a non-traditional manner.

He ordered the early promotion of the Rescue 1122 staff as enough delay had already occurred and there was no room for any further procrastination. He also directed a committee under law minister to solve service rule matters.

Dr Naseer presented the UN shield to the chief minister.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2020