Daily Times

Two helicopters of the Pakistan Army Aviation on Monday chipped in the fire fighting operation undertaken at four different sites of the Margalla Hills National Park that helped in extinguishing the inferno successfully through effective coordination between the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

The NDMA spokesperson informed that the NDMA provided helicopters to control the fire at four different sites of the Margalla Hills National Park. The fire fighting operation was assisted by the 6th Aviation Squadron and Pakistan Army that faced challenged due to lack of ground connectivity.

However, the Spokesperson noted that the fire was brought under control at three places whereas the helicopter’s operation continued till dark whereas 70% fire was extinguished at the fourth remaining site at the hill top. However the Capital Development Authority (CDA) staff was on site to control it.

According to the Ministry of Climate Change, Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam contacted Chairman, NDMA, Lieutenant General, Inam Haider Malik to request for providing helicopters to put out fire.

In her initial statement, Romina Khurshid Alam infomred that the helicopter were reaching the affected area in the next ten minutes. The CDA and NDMA were trying to douse the fire with joint cooperation, whereas the first fire was snuffed out at MF-17 and the second at MF-16 Cheran Di Gali.

She also advised the tourists to avoid hiking during heatwave season. The first helicopter was sent by the 6th Aviation Squadron that doused water from the Rawal Dam onto the fire, whereas the second helicopter sent by the Pakistan Army dumped water from Khanpur Dam. “I am very grateful to Pakistan Army for responding in such a short time. Thank you Chairman NDMA, and Pakistan Army,” Romina Khurshid said whereas the PM’s aide monitored the situation from moment to moment.