Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: In response to the alarming situation involving individuals stranded on a chairlift in Paashto, Battatgram, Speaker of the National Assembly, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, has issued urgent directives for the immediate implementation of safety measures.
Emphasizing the critical need to prioritize the safety of the children and teachers caught in the chairlift, he called for immediate rescue operations to commence without delay.
He stressed the utmost urgency of this operation, highlighting the potential risks to lives.
Furthermore, the speaker instructed the immediate deployment of a helicopter and the utilization of all available resources to ensure the safe rescue of the children and teachers stranded on the chairlift. He extended his heartfelt prayers to Allah Almighty, seeking the protection and well-being of all those affected by this incident.
According to details, At least two children have reportedly been rescued from a cable car that has been stuck for several hours over a ravine in Pakistan’s north-west.
Members of the military have made several attempts to reach the group of eight, who became stuck when a cable snapped early this morning. The group was heading to school when it happened, leaving them dangling 274m (900ft) above the ground. Doctors are at the site to assess those who have been pulled to safety.
One of the children on board, a 16-year-old boy, has a heart condition and was unconscious for several hours, an adult on board named Gulfaraz told local media earlier. “For God’s sake help us,” he pleaded.
The incident happened at about 07:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on Tuesday near the city of Battagram in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The open cable car is hanging precariously across the Allai valley, now by only one cable.
The car was making its fifth trip of the day, a local police officer told the BBC. By road, the journey from a village to the local school takes about two hours because of the mountainous terrain. The cable car ride takes that down to just four minutes.
Residents who spotted the stranded car used loudspeakers to alert officials. It then took at least four hours for the first rescue helicopter to arrive, local media outlet Dawn reported.
Four helicopters have so far taken part in the rescue attempts but were unsuccessful, local police officer, Muhammad Amjad told the BBC from the scene.
