Sunday, 15 April 2012
Siachen tragedy: US, Norway, China teams reaching site today
SKARDU: The search and rescue operation for retrieving Pakistan Army soldiers and civilians trapped in the Gayari sector avalanche is continuing at full speed.
Rescue teams from the US, Norway and China will be arriving in Siachen on Sunday as the weather is said to be clear.
German and Swiss experts had pointed out three preferential spots, where rescue work is underway. The experts have advised using traditional digging tools instead of deploying heavy machinery at these probable points.
Over 550 persons including Army soldiers, locals and foreign experts are participating in the search and rescue operation, while eight US experts besides Norway and China rescue teams arriving in Sunday would join in the operation at Gayari sector providing their professional expert assistance.
Pakistan Army Cadet wins Sword of Honor in UK
Landon -Pakistan Army Cadet Talha Zahid has won the overseas Sword at the Royal Military Academy (RMA) Sandhurst.
The 22-year-old cadet from Faisalabad also won first position in defence and war techniques.
Parents of the young cadet have said that they were very happy on this occasion, adding that the whole nation is feeling pride on Talha for achieving this award.
Friday, 13 April 2012
Captain Haleem Tareen ( Siachen tragedy)
This wil"Never keep something in your heart. Just say it and then whatever response you get, at least you won’t regret it for the rest of your life that you had a chance and you didn’t take it. These were the last words of Haleem Tareen in his last call a night before the incident. He talked for 19 minutes, and then the operator of the exchange interrupted our conversation and said, ‘commander wants to call [Capt. Haleem]’. And he said, ‘Ok Aisha I will call you later. You don’t worry and I don’t want to see you cry. Always remember that your brother is with you so you don’t need to worry.’
He was right. A martyr is always alive But why he said this to me? Cuz he was going to make me cry for the rest of my life He had given me a task and would call me every second day to ask if I did his work or not. And today I had good news for him. Today he was supposed to call me. I am waiting for your call my brother. You can’t go like this. You will have to come back Please come back plzzzzz. I need to tell you what you have waited so much to hear. Otherwise I will have to live the rest of my life with that thing you wanted to hear. I’m such a failure”!!!l tear your heart apart :(
Thursday, 12 April 2012
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3Day Formation Commanders Con concludes
The usual annual Conference reviewed the issues pertaining to the professional matters of the Pak Army, training programs and military training exercises completed last year and army training scheduled for next year.
Situation in the region particularly situation along Pak-Afghan border and ongoing operations against the militants were also discussed in the meeting. The sad incident in Siachen was also discussed and it was agreed to use all resources to speed up the rescue operation.
According to sources the meeting of the Promotion Board chaired by Chief of Pak Army Gen Asgfaq Pervez Kayani will start from tomorrow. The meeting would review the suggestions of the Regional Boards for promotions from the Lt Col to Colonel and from Colonel to Brigadier ranks and a number of officers would be elevated to the ranks of Colonel and Brigadiers.
PSO supports Pakistan army in Siachen rescue operations
Karachi: Pakistan State Oil (PSO) is fuelling the relief efforts being undertaken in the Siachen glacier region through the supply of High Speed Diesel (HSD) to the Pakistan army.
PSO has dispatched an immediate consignment of 40,000 liters of HSD for use in the rescue operations taking place in the Gyari region of Siachen. These rescue efforts are taking place in the wake of an avalanche that engulfed an army camp on Saturday morning, and left 135 brave soldiers buried under mounds of snow. Keeping in view the urgency of the situation, PSO not only provided the fuel supplies on a priority basis; it has also geared up its logistical operations in the region to ensure continouos and ongoing support for the armed forces.
PSO in its role as the country’s leading fuel supplier has always stood by the nation in its times of need. The company also pledges that it will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistan Army and prays for the safe return of our brave soldiers.
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
ARMY LIVING UNDER D SHADOW OF DEATH
Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visited Siachen Sunday
Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visited the Giari area where the avalanche struck on Saturday to supervise the rescue operation launched by the army’s Engineering Corps to recover the victims, who belong to the 6 Northern Light Infantry Battalion.
“The avalanche of such a magnitude was unprecedented in the last 20 years of this Battalion Headquarters’ existence at Giari,” said Gen Kayani.
“I have directed the concerned departments of Pakistan Army to immediately mobilise all available resources with the assistance of Pakistan Air Force to carry out a full-scale rescue operation.”
According to the army, 240 troops and civilians participated in the rescue operation on Sunday with the aid of sniffer dogs and heavy machinery, some of which was flown in on military aircraft.
Rescuers dug through snow, boulders and slush in a desperate search for the 135 people buried under the snow more than 1,000 metres wide and 25 metres high – as hopes faded of finding any survivors.
“Let’s hope for a miracle,” a military official, who asked to remain anonymous, told Reuters. Another military official, also speaking off the record, said that there were reports that some of the trapped soldiers are still alive.
However, mountaineering expert Colonel Sher Khan disagreed. “There is no hope, there is no chance at all,” he told AFP.
“You can survive only in the first 5-10 minutes,” he said. “The casualties in avalanches occur due to pressure of heavy weight, extreme cold and lack of oxygen.”
Apart from bulldozers and excavators, chemicals were being used to melt the ice. But due to harsh weather and great height, the rescue work is slow. The victims are trapped in one of the most unforgiving environments on the earth, at an altitude of 15,000 feet in the Karakoram mountain range.
Gen Kayani appreciated the morale and efforts of the troops who were braving harsh weather conditions and inhospitable terrain and directed the commanders to leave ‘no stone unturned’ to reach out to the trapped troops.
He said that the calamity, in no way, should affect the morale of the troops defending their homeland at the world’s highest battlefield.
Reactions
An eight-member team of US experts, meanwhile, arrived in Rawalpindi on Sunday to provide technical assistance in the rescue operation.
According to a military statement, discussion will be held with the US team to find out the possibility and nature of assistance required to expedite the rescue operation. Offer of technical assistance from other friendly countries is also being considered.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also offered to provide assistance to Pakistan, The Hindustan Times reported. Singh made the offer during his meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari.
In response, Zardari appreciated India’s offer and said he would seek assistance if needed, the report added.
(WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AFP AND REUTERS)
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2012.
Siachen tragedy: Rescue operation continues
RAWALPINDI: Despite weather hazards, rescue operation at Gayari Sector continues at five priority points identified with the help of SPD team employed alongwith plant equipment, Army Search and Rescue Teams.
A 450 meters long access track has been developed on the avalanche to access the priority points. Work on another access track has also been started to widen search perimeter.
Mainly Plant equipment is employed at two points. The work is in progress at rapid speed on both points.
At the work on other three points mainly being done with the help of infantry troops who resort to manual digging with some assistance from plant equipment where required.
A Dozer has been employed to restore the water channel, which has been blocked due to avalanche. So far two exists are available with 20 and 15 cusecs discharge. Efforts are in hand to enhance same with the help of plant equipment.
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Maj Zaka-ul- Haq Shaheed
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| Meet Maj Zaka one of them who embraced Shadat with his 137 men |
Names of Pakistani soldiers buried under snow(Gayari sector near Skardu)
Rescue work continues at Siachen
RAWALPINDI: Expert teams from Germany and Switzerland have arrived in Pakistan to take part in the rescue operation at Siachen Glacier where 139 troops and civilians were buried on Saturday by a massive avalanche that engulfed a military complex in Gayari sector.
Six German and three Swiss experts are embraced with equipments who are also waiting for weather clearance to proceed to Gayari.
At least 40 feet of snow have been removed so far with the help of heavy machinery to search for the victims.
An ISPR statement said that despite weather hazards, rescue work continues at Gayari. A total of 452 people including 69 civilians are employed on relief efforts. 2 Dozers, 2 JCB (Earth Mover), 3 Excavator and 2 dumpers are working day and night on the site.
Five points have been identified on the site where rescue work is in progress. Two points are being dug with equipment while three points are being dug manually.
Seven members SPD team is using life detection kit and thermal imaging camera during the rescue operation.
It is important to mention here that a team of eight technical experts from the US reached Islamabad on Monday to assist in rescue efforts but could not leave for Gayari due to heavy snowfall.
