The week-long “advanced search and rescue training program,” facilitated by Türkiye’s state-run Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) for Pakistani scouts, reached its conclusion on Sunday.
Held in the Karoonjhar mountainous range of the Thar desert in southern Sindh province, the training aimed to equip Pakistani scouts with the skills necessary to operate effectively in disaster-hit areas.
Over two dozen scouts participated in the training, organized in collaboration with the Turkish NGO Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) and the Sindh Boys Scouts Association (SBSA).
The program concluded with a certificate ceremony at the association’s provincial headquarters in Karachi, attended by Turkish Consul General in Karachi Cemal Sangu, Provincial Commissioner of Sindh Scouts Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah, TIKA’s Karachi coordinator Halil Ibrahim Basaran, and volunteers.
Addressing the ceremony, Sangu commended TIKA and the participants for the “successful” training, emphasizing its significance in enhancing Pakistani volunteers’ disaster response capabilities.
Shah expressed gratitude to Türkiye, TIKA, and IHH, highlighting the potential for future collaborations to strengthen SBSA’s search and rescue training initiatives. Basaran praised the dedication of the volunteers and SBSA, reaffirming TIKA’s commitment to organizing similar training programs across the province.
Ahmet Turkmenoglu, the chief trainer from IHH, lauded the volunteers’ remarkable performance despite challenging weather conditions. Habib Uddin, a team leader from SBSA, expressed appreciation for the training, noting its potential to save more lives in future disasters.
The training program will proceed with the second stage focusing on urban search and rescue training, as well as search and rescue training in water.TIKA’s Emergency and Disaster Response Training Program encompasses various countries, including Bosnia, Lebanon, and Pakistan, reflecting its commitment to global disaster preparedness and response efforts.
