Daily Times

Pakistan is facing very harsh weather these days as summer started a bit earlier due to climate change. It has become very difficult for a common man to cope with the scorching heat. The plains of Punjab and the deserts of Sindh are equally burning due to the hot weather. Heatstroke patients are increasing in both public and private sector hospitals. The people are also badly hit by the water-borne diseases mostly in the rural areas. As always, the Pakistan Army has come forward to help its people in this hard time and established several heatstroke centres in different parts of the country.

A large number of heatstroke centres have been established by the Pakistan Army in the province of Punjab. To help its people during the ongoing scorching heatwave across the country, the Pakistan Army has established 37 heatwave centres in different districts of Punjab. The task was completed on an emergency basis under the direction of the Chief of Army Staff. These heatstroke centres are fully functional in different locations in both urban and rural areas including the metropolitan cities of Punjab. These areas include Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan, Okara, Sahiwal, Pasroor, Shakargarh, Kasur, Sialkot, Zaferwal, Marala, Daska, Bahawalnagar, Mailsi, Bahawalpur, Dera Nawab Sahab and far-flung areas of Khairpur Tamewali and Cholistan desert. It has been ensured in these heatstroke centres that all necessary facilities are there for the people. The stroke centres have ample patient beds, Deserts Coolers, Drinking water, ice blocks, first-aid kits and medicines available for the patients. It is also encouraging that trained doctors, nurses, paramedics and other staff are available there to help the people suffering from the scorching heat. A large number of people including males, females and kids are being provided with health care services. These centres have become a sigh of relief for the residents in this really hard time.

The plains of Punjab and the deserts of Sindh are equally burning due to the hot weather.

Similarly, on the directions of the Chief of Army Staff, a comprehensive plan has been chalked out to provide medical and relief facilities to drought-affected people of Cholistan in coordination with civil administration. Free medical and drought relief camp has been established at Chanan Pir while integrating a 42-bed capacity heatstroke centre. In a joint collaboration between civil-military administration, three mobile health teams equipped with heatstroke treatment facilities and water bowsers are visiting 10 remote basis camps established for migrants in the Cholistan desert for treatment and provision of water to the population and animals. More than 300,000 litres of clean drinking water have been provided to 70 villages along with the filling of locally made water reservoirs. Moreover, 5000 patients have been treated and provided with free medicines in the camps. In the meanwhile, free ration packs and cooked food is being provided in far-flung areas of Cholistan. The facility of veterinary treatment for livestock is being provided at the base campsites free of cost.

Such measures by the Pakistan Army will remain to continue throughout the summer season as a poor segment of society is the primary beneficiary of these camps. It is heartening to see that the doctors of the Pakistan Army are providing medical facilities to people with the same dedication to the way they perform duty on the battlefield. The poor people are giving a lot of prayers to the Pakistan Army that is directly coming from the core of their hearts. It rightly shows that the Pakistan Army and the people of Pakistan love each other very much. No power on this earth can undo this deep-rooted bond of the Pakistan Army with its people.

It is not the first time that the Pakistan Army is helping its people in a hard time. Whenever the people of Pakistan faced any problem both internally or externally, the Pakistan Army always showed a resolve to help them. From the volatile border of India to the burning border of Afghanistan, the troops of Pakistan are always ready to save their people from any foreign aggression. Similarly, from the deserts of Sindh to the plains of Punjab, the Pakistan Army is always here to help its people. Whenever there is a calamity in the country, the Pakistan Army is always there as the last resort to save its people.

How can we forget the locust attack on the green fields of Punjab? It had severely hit the poor farmers and their crops but the Pakistan Army didn’t leave them alone and started a relief operation to help its people. The farmers were all praise the army when their crops worth millions were saved due to the relief operation some two years ago. Just recently, the Pakistan Army played a major role in the rescue operation when the forests of Balochistan were burning due to the fire. The services of the Pakistan Army during the COVID-19 were also laudable as it fought that war too from the front.

Be it any natural disaster or any foreign aggression, the Pakistan Army is always on the frontline to save its people. Be it election duties or maintaining law and order during Muharram days, troops of the army are always there to protect the people of Pakistan. So, it is our moral and national duty too to acknowledge the services of the Pakistan Army to this country.

The writer is an old Aitchisonian who believes in freedom of expression, a freelance columnist, entrepreneur and social activist.