UNITED EMIRATES ARMY RELIEF FORCE’S HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN FLOOD HIT AREAS, PAKISTAN

Mehmood-Ul-Hassan Khan

The Commander of the Army Relief Force, of the United Arab Emirates, Brigadier Abdul Rahman Ibrahim bin Abdul Aziz, has been wholeheartedly engaged with rescue and relief operations in the most affected areas of flood in Pakistan and started rehabilitation phase. He always speaks about high philosophies of unity of command, submission, advantages of righteousness (Haq), brotherhood, sacrifice, patience and cooperation. UAE Force’s immaculate performances and big achievements in the most affected flood areas under his command simply prove his charismatic leadership.

UAE Commander: Height of Professionalism

Brigadier Abdu Rahman a true professional, brave solider, good administrator and above all great human being is persistently looking care of the disheartened general masses in flood hit places. He is committed to give his best to purge the human miseries and bring some comfort to their distressed lives and smiles to their concerned faces. Brigadier Abdul Rahman did also perform gigantic humanitarian assistance even in the cataclysm 2005 earthquake in Pakistan. Even this time UAE Force, was the first to reach for the help of its traumatized brothers in Pakistan and started titanic rescue and relief operations and consequently moved to the second phase of rehabilitation in different regions.

Brig. Abdul Rahman most recently took the media team representing different countries in three Chinook planes for an aerial view of the most affected districts of Balochistan and Sindh. The media team could easily compare between colossal destruction and enduring determination of our brotherly UAE team, fighting against all odds to help the unfortunate general masses living in these places. Undoubtedly, they witnessed incidents of harshness of the natural calamity and relentless hardworking spirits of the UAE army force to lessen the human miseries and severity of life. They are simply bravo.

UAE Force Personnel

More than 40 personnel are working from dawn to dust in Balochistan and Sindh to help the flood hit people. They are courageously confronting with scorching heat, unpleasant humidity and harsh weather to reach out to needy population and rescue them from starvation, hunger and diseases. They have big heart full of devotion, humanity, moral values and above all spirits of brotherhood in order to perform their professional duties with zeal.

Current Integrated Activities

UAE Army Relief Force is stationed at Khaild Air Base Quetta, where from it is carrying the ongoing rescue, relief, distribution of goods and executing medical programs in makeshift camps situated in Jacobabad and Dera Murad Jamali. The UAE team is busy in different humanitarian assistance in the vicinity of Dera Murad Jamali, Jaffarabad, Jhal Magsi and Qilla Saifullah. On their own request more than 200 families have been moved to their home towns, Jacobabad through Chinook fleet. UAE Force Commander proudly said that his country is the only country, carrying out various organized rescue, relief distribution of goods and rehabilitation programs in Sindh and Balochistan.

Future Plan

UAE team has already started the rehabilitation phase/efforts for flood victims in Balochistan and Sindh. Brigadier Abdul Rahman also tabled his future plans for the well-being of flood affected people. He elaborated that during the first phase 5000 people/families would be helped to resettle in their home towns through Chinook planes in Dera Murad Jamali and Jacobabad districts as the water in these areas has receded.

Sufficient food stuff and tents will also be provided to them so that they will not be confronting with any shortcoming for the time being. UAE team will provide them rations for one month, supply of tents to the unsettled, installing water purification plant/machines and substantial financial assistance to the distraught people. He said that more than 85 tonnes of food stuff and 3000 tents will be distributed among the most pompous people. Furthermore he reaffirmed UAE government’s commitment “not to leave until and unless every displaced person is resettled to their native places. He also mentioned that 25,000 tents have already been arranged along with plenty of warm cloths/blankets, medicines and the last not the least water purification plan in these areas the provinces.

Chinook: An Unsung Hero

UAE Chinook an unsung hero is doing great humanitarian services in the most affected areas of flood in the country. Chinook a twin-engine tandem rotor heavy- lift helicopter has become sign of life, hope, assistance and above all logistics. Through its 72 sorties so far in the last 50 days more than 1295 people have been evacuated from disastrous areas. UAE team has been instrumental to facilitate even other countries relief commodities, airlifted to distribution centers. It also takes care of transportation expenditures in the associated activities in these places. With the help Chinook, UAE Army easily accomplished and shifted more than 359 tonnes of food-stuff and other helping material.

UAE Army Relief Force’s Contributions in first Phase

Brig. Abdul Rahman said that after the appeal of government of Pakistan and orders of by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE and through the follow up of General H.H. Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces to help the badly pretentious people of flood victims in the time of national crisis. Right from the beginning, UAE Force has been working jointly with the Armed Force of Pakistan in different regions of Punjab, Blochistan and Sindh.

The UAE Force has been operating an air bridge between the flood-hit areas and delivery relief stations. Three Chinook fleet was initially stationed at the Pakistan Air Force Base in Multan. It carried out inter-provincial airlifting of relief goods. The Army Relief Force and Armed Forces of Pakistan are unstintingly working to evacuate people from inaccessible areas and bring them to safer places.

UAE unending intensified relief operation in different parts of the country once again proves its full commitment to humanitarian and ethical responsibilities and its keen interest to save endangered lives and preserves human dignity. It also highlights the core strength of our brotherly bilateral relations. Chief of Armed Forces of Pakistan General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani made a special visit to Multan to meet the UAE Army Relief Force and appreciated its diversified but integrated rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts.

Mobile Military Medical Field Hospital

UAE medical team has professional doctors, well trained nurses and experienced specialists doing noble work in Pakistan. They are working around the clock and have so far served more than 3891 patients in the most affected areas.

UAE Relief Force is writing new chapters of humanity, brotherhood, services and delivery in the most affected areas of Pakistan. They are all engaged to alleviate the human agonies of the flood victims. Brig. Abdul Rahman and his team has succeeded to give new meanings to suffering people vulnerable with epidemic diseases like influenza, cholera, malaria, skin diseases, dehydration, chest infection and measles etc. in many regions throughout the country. They have been busy in initiating many effective health care programs and vaccination drive which are now paying its dividends.

UAE Relief Force is supervising operational hospitals in many areas. Currently it is running a mobile filed hospital in Balochistan at Jhal Magsi, doctors are treating professionally with full humanistic spirits. Small children and women were treated mostly suffering from epidemic diseases. According to the medical staff more than 200 patients visit to the hospital daily. Earlier a medical team is providing preventive and curative programs in Kot Adu, Muzaffargarh and Ali Pur, Southern Punjab.

Makeshift Camps

UAE Relief force is visiting many makeshift camps in these areas on regular basis. A media team visited three well organized and well managed makeshift camps in the nearby districts i.e. Dera Murad Jamali and Saifullah Jal Magsi.

Brig. Ahid, head of the Southern Command and relief operations in Balochistan, appreciated the humanitarian assistance embarked by UAE Government and the Army Relief Force in the province. He has expressed his gratitude to the leaders and people of UAE for their extended help.

Concluding,

United Arab Emirates Army Relief Force has been doing expanded rescue activities, relief goods distribution and health care programs in the most affected areas of flood. Chinook has been rightly labeled as “Angel of Mercy” in Pakistan. Brigadier Abdul Rahman Ibrahim bin Abdul Aziz, UAE Commander has been described as “Man of Iron”. The diversified but integrated rescue, relief and rehabilitation have succeeded to lessen human sufferings in these areas.