International Civil Defence Day observed with awareness walk, equipment display

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Mar, 2026) An awareness walk, special exhibition and seminar were held to mark International Civil Defence Day 2026, with modern emergency response equipment put on display and renewed emphasis laid on strengthening preparedness under the vision of a “Safe Punjab” here on Sunday.

Punjab Minister and Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Law and Order Khawaja Salman Rafique led the awareness walk.

Secretary Home Punjab Ahmad Javed Qazi, Special Secretary Home Fazal ur Rehman, Special Secretary Home Zainab Khan, Chief Warden Civil Defence and former mayor Colonel Mubashir Javed, CEO Punjab Charity Commission Colonel Shahzad Aamir, Director Civil Defence Tasneem Ali Khan and Deputy Commissioner Lahore Ali Ejaz, along with hundreds of volunteers, participated in the event.

On the occasion, the Civil Defence Resilience Corps exhibited modern tools used in emergency situations. The provincial minister and the home secretary inspected the equipment, including anti-drone guns, RC vehicles, snake cameras, IED drones, bomb disposal suits, mine detectors and other specialized gear.

Addressing the ceremony, Khawaja Salman Rafique said Civil Defence was actively implementing the Chief Minister’s vision of a secure Punjab, adding that its importance remains the same in times of peace and war.

He claimed that during Pak-India tensions, Civil Defence had neutralised 29 Indian drones. He stressed the need for national unity, preparedness and vigilance in view of emerging regional and security challenges.

The minister appreciated the efforts of the Home Department in reorganising Civil Defence and welcomed the registration of over 325,000 volunteers across the province. He said living nations assess future challenges and prepare accordingly.

Secretary Home Ahmad Javed Qazi said the Civil Defence Resilience Corps was a step towards a safer, capable and responsible Punjab. He noted that equipment worth Rs500 million had been procured to modernise the force in line with contemporary requirements. He added that more than 325,000 citizens had registered as volunteers and were being imparted basic training to save lives during natural disasters, accidents and health emergencies.

Director Civil Defence Tasneem Ali Khan said that saving human lives was a noble mission and informed that training of 150,000 volunteers had been completed under the Civil Defence Volunteers Training Programme. He urged citizens to register online through the official portal to serve the country in accordance with their skills and abilities.