LAHORE: The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has made operational first-ever Hilal-i-Ahmer Ambulance Service for Islamabad with a minimum response time of seven to 10 minutes.

It has also activated four-digit helpline 1030 that started working round the clock for the federal capital.

PRCS Chairman Dr Saeed Elahi made the announcement at the Lahore Press Club on Sunday.

He termed the service a pilot project for Islamabad under which six ambulances have been stationed at different prominent and accessible sites of the federal capital including D Chowk, Islamabad Club Roundabout, Faizabad police check post, Golra roundabout, Zero Point, and F-11 Markaz.

“Initially, the ambulance fleet consists of 12 ambulances in which six ambulances have been placed at different locations and as many others will remain standby at PRCS National Headquarters”, Dr Elahi said.

He said the society in collaboration with International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) is busy in extending help to the internally displaced families of North Waziristan.

He said the Palestine Red Crescent Society has also appealed to the PRCS for online donations to help Palestinians in the wake of killings of their over 1600 brothers and sisters and damages to the properties by Israel.

Dr Elahi appealed to the philanthropists to donate generously for the Palestinians through its website www.prcs.org.pk

Published in Dawn, Aug 4th, 2014