Copter offered for rescue operations in Karachi

KARACHI - The chief executive of Galaxy aviation company, Naveed Aslam, who launched countrys first boat ambulance service for the poor residents of the island in Karachi city, reiterated his offer to federal government and City government of providing Mi-2 helicopter free of cost to launch City Hawks Rescue Operation in the metropolis in any type of critical situation, The Nation learnt on Sunday. Aslam said that he would dispatch a reminder in this regard to the authorities concerned of the federal government, provincial government and City government in a couple of days. It may be noted that due to the lethargy of some of the CDGK high-ups, during the tenure of former city nazim Mustafa Kamal, a plan of City Hawks Rescue Operation conceived by one of the elected representative of City Council and Naveed Aslam, could not be materialised. Aslam had offered to CDGK that his aviation company would provide its own Mi-2 helicopter free of cost to City government for this purpose. But charges of its technical assistance and salary expenditures of pilot and crew staffers would be borne by the executive authority. The proposal was delayed and bureaucratic hurdles were created by some elements to fail the unique air ambulance service in the City which can be fruitful in many ways for the entire Sindh province. Later, Aslam concentrated on establishing an emergency response centre in Baba Bhatt Island in Kemari Town and appointed two doctors and paramedics in collaboration with the former UC nazim of the area, Muhammad Hanif, and provided free treatment with medicines to the poor residents of the island round the clock. About the importance of City Hawks Rescue Operation, he felt that when a big city like Karachi is developing on advanced grounds and competing the other developed cities of the world, there should be an air-based rescue operation facility to meet any critical situation. Hence, he again offered providing his own helicopter to the authorities concerned of this metropolis for public service. Aslam said the Mi-2 chopper was powered by two turbine engines with a seating capacity of 8 persons. It can transport up to 6 to 8 casualties and injured persons on stretcher and seating for medical attendant. It can also work as an ambulance and for search and rescue operations. It has a fuel tank of 1,000 litres and consumes 300 litres per hour. Mi-2 has maximum speed of 220 km/hr. Today public service agencies are facing numerous challenging issues. It ranges from fire fighting, highway accident, train accident, plane crash, aerial surveillance, search and recovery, flood and rain emergency, hospital transfer, mountain operation, day and night high speed pursuit, earthquake, surveillance on coastal area, public safety, rescue, bridges and towers, food supply, offshore public service and Command and Control, he said. Aslam observed that the City government is paying attention to every civic and other important issues of the City so this rescue service should also be considered. He categorically mentioned that offering Mi-2 chopper did not mean any commercial purposes for him. But the expenditures of services of MI-2 and rescue operations would be borne by the CDGK itself. He provided his own chopper free of cost with nominal charges of its technical assistance and expenditures of the salary of pilot and crew staffers. He regretted that if federal government or City government earlier accepted his offer, the service had been launched in the City and on many occasions Hawks Rescue Operation had provided a great relief to the citizens. Aslam recalled that any government either federal, provincial and City government should not forget the devastation of earthquake in parts of northern areas and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. What a great tragedy was happened and it was the air ambulance services and air rescue operations which had provided the treatment and relief to the affected persons of this tragedy. I have vast experience in the disaster management and my company played an important role in the rescue operation of earthquake-hit areas in Azad Kasmir and northern areas, thats why I can understand the importance of City Hawks Rescue Operation, he added. He further said: We are already managed largest helicopter service in the region and delivered our best in all difficult areas. My company is already serving in Pakistan. On October 8 earthquake we did aggressive operations on our own aircraft from Islamabad to Base Faisal Karachi. We are the only private operator that firstly uplift the earthquake victims from Chaklala to Base Faisal on our aircraft.