Gilgit - Baltistan

Rescue 1122 suspends boat service for Gojal, patients suffering

Passengers wearing the life jackets donated by FOCUS Pakistan prepare to leave in a boat this morning. Photo: Aziz Karim
Passengers wearing the life jackets donated by FOCUS Pakistan prepare to leave in a boat this morning. Photo: Aziz Karim

Shishkat, January 15: For the last two days the emergency boats operated by the Rescue 1122 in the dammed Hunza River  in Gojal Valley have been sitting idle. The patients coming from remote villages are being sent on the boats transporting goods and passengers. The surface of the dammed Hunza River has frozen and the boats deployed by Rescue 1122 in the region are unable to operate.

Passengers waiting for boats
Passengers waiting for boats. Photo: Faiz Ullah

Meanwhile, Focus Humanitarian Assistance Pakistan has donated 200 life jackets for the passengers through the Tehsil administration. The Tehsildar of Gojal Magistracy, Muhammad Alam, has given 20 jackets to each boat operator and they have been made responsible for keeping the jackets safe and making the passengers wear them.

“The patients are in miserable condition because they have to travel in open boats without any protection from cold. The boats also get stuck in middle of the boat due to the freezing of the surface and it can prove fatal in severe cases of emergency”, an official of the Rescue 1122 told Pamir Times.

Passenger literally hanging to a tether while crossing the partially frozen river
Passenger literally hanging to a tether while crossing the partially frozen river. Photo: Faizullah

It is pertinent to note that a large number of patients travel out of the Gojal valley due to lack of health facilities. The government and non-governmental organizations have failed to provide health facilities for the people.

Ice sheaths have covered the surface of the lake and the passenger boats are now operating from Ayeenabad. Photo: Rehmat
Ice sheaths have covered the surface of the lake and the passenger boats are now operating from Ayeenabad. Photo: Rehmat

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