Khawaja Zaheer Ahmed - PDMA

months during which an air-bridge was provided to ensure
essential supplies in coordination with the NDMA, Provincial
Authorities, Donors and by the Governments and NGOs
desirous of using the base. In April 2011, it was confirmed
that in all, 1,296 rescue and relief flights were handled by the
PAF out of which 767 flights were operated from the
Shahbaz Airbase, in Jacobabad, alone; out of these, in
August alone, 266 flights were handled by the Base.
Recounting the PAF role in the flood operations, it was
stated that the PAF had arranged 252 rescue boats for Army
and Navy to assist evacuation of 22,742 flood affectees
besides air-lifting 2,923 people to various destinations in
Sindh, including Karachi; over 8, 888 metric tons of food
supplies and medicines were airdropped besides
establishment of many medical camps and shelter for 13,436
persons at PAF facilities maintained till November 2010. It
was also stated that additionally, the base secured/supplied
some 5.0 million litres of aviation fuel for foreign relief
planes. It was denied that any request from any NGO or
civilian authority for use of the Air-base was declined, except
on account of structural and capacity constraints at the
Base, not designed to receive and handle larger aeroplanes
or heavy cargoes; such planes were diverted to Karachi or
Chaklala from where C-130 aircraft used to lift relief goods to
Shahbaz Base for further distribution by civilian authorities. It
was denied that the PAF Shahbaz or any of its other outfits
engaged, advised or requested for breaching of any specific
bund; the moreso, as the Base was considerably higher in
elevation than the rest of nearby Jacobabad town at a
distance of 122 KM from Tori Bund. It was stated that on and
after 12 th August 2010, much later after inundation of area
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