Rescue 1122 Responds to 7,336 Emergencies in Gilgit-Baltistan in 2025; Medical Emergencies Constitute the Largest Share as Road Traffic Accidents Claim 54 Lives
Road traffic accidents (RTAs) incidents resulted in 589 injured persons and 54 fatalities.
Gilgit: The annual emergency performance report of Rescue 1122 Gilgit-Baltistan for the year 2025 was formally released at the Rescue 1122 Headquarters in Gilgit during a briefing chaired by the Director General Rescue 1122 Gilgit-Baltistan, Azimullah.
According to the official data, Rescue 1122 Gilgit-Baltistan emergency response to a total of 7,336 emergency incidents during 2025. These included medical emergencies, road traffic accidents, fire incidents, search and rescue operations, floods, landslides, avalanche-related incidents, public event duties, and other emergencies across all districts of Gilgit-Baltistan.
District-wise Emergency Response
The highest number of emergency incidents was reported in Skardu, where Rescue 1122 responded to 2,141 cases, followed by Gilgit with 1,841 emergencies. Other districts also witnessed a substantial volume of emergency calls, including Diamer (611), Astore (542), Ghanche (517), Ghizer (494), Hunza (390), Shigar (296), Kharmang (279), and Nagar (225).
Medical Emergencies
Medical emergencies constituted the largest share of the total caseload, with 3,518 medical emergencies handled during the year. Skardu recorded the highest number of medical cases (1,286), followed by Gilgit (941) and Diamer (319). Significant numbers were also reported from Astore (168), Kharmang (152), Shigar (119), Hunza (94), Nagar (90), Ghizer (73), and Ghanche (276), reflecting increasing dependence on Rescue 1122 for emergency medical response.
Road Traffic Accidents and Casualties
Road traffic accidents (RTAs) remained a major challenge during 2025. Rescue 1122 provided direct emergency response to 517 road traffic accidents across Gilgit-Baltistan. These incidents resulted in 589 injured persons and 54 fatalities. The figures reflect only those accidents where Rescue 1122 teams provided on-ground response.
District-wise data shows Skardu with 191 RTAs, followed by Gilgit with 171, Hunza 33, Diamer 28, Nagar 20, Shigar 19, Astore 18, Ghanche 13, Ghizer 12, and Kharmang 12.
In terms of fatalities, Gilgit reported the highest number with 19 deaths, followed by Skardu (9), Nagar (8), Diamer (6), Astore (4), Ghizer (3), Kharmang (2), while Hunza, Shigar, and Ghanche reported one death each.
Fire, Rescue, and Recovery Operations
During 2025, Rescue 1122 responded to 225 fire incidents across the province. The service also carried out 597 vehicle recovery operations, reflecting frequent road blockages, accidents, and weather-related incidents, particularly in high-altitude areas.
Additionally, 457 dead body search and shifting cases were handled, many linked to accidents, natural disasters, and difficult terrain. Rescue teams also conducted 136 drowning-related search and rescue operations, highlighting risks associated with rivers, lakes, and water channels in the region.
Disaster and Climate-Related Incidents
The report records 127 incidents related to floods, landslides, and avalanches during the year. These incidents were particularly prevalent in Ghizer, Diamer, Gilgit, and Kharmang, underscoring Gilgit-Baltistan’s vulnerability to climate-induced disasters and the critical role of Rescue 1122 in disaster response.
Maternal, Public, and Community Services
Rescue 1122 handled 313 delivery and maternity-related emergencies, providing crucial assistance to expectant mothers, especially in remote districts with limited healthcare access.
The service also provided emergency coverage for 481 public events, including religious gatherings, festivals, sports events, and official functions. In addition, 109 community and public awareness activities were conducted to promote emergency preparedness and safety awareness.
Other Emergency Responses
Other notable responses during the year included 184 patient shifting cases, 20 violence and gunshot incidents, 17 attempted suicide cases, 97 protocol and VIP movement duties, and 304 cases categorised under other emergencies, demonstrating the wide operational scope of Rescue 1122.
