The entire nation was shocked after learning about the tragedy at Giari area where an avalanche smashed into a Pakistan Army camp near the Siachen Glacier burring 124 soldiers and 11 civilians beneath a blanket of snow. The worst part is that despite all efforts more then 36 hours have passed but no sign of any survivors or a single dead body has been found.
However, only blaming harsh weather and inhospitable terrain is not enough. This otherwise speaks of poor planning of rescue operation in case of sudden and unexpected emergency of this kind, lack of latest equipment to locate the human beings buried under snow and heavy snow crushing and melting equipment and material. In such areas a monitoring and warning system for weather forecast about avalanche of such a magnitude is very important. In addition joint rescue exercises with air force should have been carried out to train troops deployed there.
SQN LDR (RETD) S.AUSAF HUSAIN,
Karachi, April 9.