Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR (AJK,Parliament Times): Pakistan Red Crescent Society AJK Chapter’s Chairman Sardar Shafique Ahmed Khan said “AJK region is one of Pakistan’s most vulnerable areas, facing multiple challenges such as cross-border firing and shelling, climate-induced disasters, migration, and man-made disasters”.
He was addressing a day-long session on the Restoring Family Links (RFL) Program in the State metropolis on Thursday, it was officially said.
The session, held at PRCS Headquarters in Muzaffarabad, aimed to enhance participants’ knowledge and understanding of the RFL program.
The Chairman of PRCS AJK State Branch, Sardar Shafique Ahmed Khan, chaired the event also participated by Secretary PRCS AJK State Branch Ms. Gulzar Fatima, Assistant Director RFL National Headquarters Islamabad Kamran Iqbal, and RFL Manager PRCS Merged Areas Shahid Khan and others.
Participants were oriented and sensitized about the RFL program and briefed on RFL tools, including Tracing Requests, Red Cross Messages, Trace the Face, and video calls, and their applications during emergencies, disasters, and migration. Program Manager RFL Sidra Akram Qureshi delivered a detailed presentation on the program and its interventions in AJK. The session also covered the Case Management System, Referral Mechanisms, and Emergency Services.
Addressing the concluding ceremony, Chairman Sardar Shafique Ahmed Khan emphasized the significance of the RFL program, describing it as a flagship initiative of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society and the Red Cross Movement. He noted that the program has successfully restored thousands of family connections disrupted by disasters, conflicts, and migration in Pakistan, including AJK.
Commending the dedication of volunteers, he Sardar Shafiq said “Volunteers are the backbone of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement”.
In her concluding remarks, Secretary PRCS AJK State Branch Ms. Gulzar Fatima expressed gratitude to the ICRC Pakistan and PRCS National Headquarters for organizing this important orientation session for governance, management, and staff. She reiterated the commitment to addressing challenges and strengthening the volunteer network, with a special focus on volunteer retention.