Rescue Operation In Gayari Sector Siachen Continues Round The Clock At Its Full Swing

The PRIDE of Pakistan Six Northern Light Infantry Regiment (NLI) which was on duty of our protection on the world’s highest battle ground and operating in temperatures as low as -60 C (-76 F), vicious winds and altitude sickness. The region is just east of the world’s second-highest peak, K-2. A battalion headquarters size Pakistani post working since last 20 years in Gayari sector of Siachen came under avalanche 80 feet deep.

The left over soldiers covered beneath an enormous snow slide in the Gayari sector of Siachen on April 7, have been affirmed as “Shuhada” (martyrs). The nation mourns its 138 sons including 11 civilians trapped deep under the snow after a massive landslide hit the Army base-camp at the height of 20,700 feet. Rescue operation is continuously going on despite bad weather and other difficulties from day 1 at five priority points and 450 people are taking part in this operation. SPD teams, Army Search & Rescue Teams, using heavy equipment are participating in the rescue efforts.

124 days have passed since the tragic incident of Gayari, search operations, excavation work is taking time due to constraints imposed by terrain and weather. Through their untiring efforts, bodies of 79 Shuhada have been recovered, so far. Nature and magnitude of the calamity is suggestive of no probability of recovering any person alive. The army has vowed to continue the operation until all the bodies are recovered.

Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani has said all-out efforts are being made to retrieve the trapped soldiers under an avalanche in the Gayari Sector. Talking to media at Skardu, he appealed the nation to pray to recover the trapped soldiers under the ice. He said Army men are discharging their duties despite all the hardships in Siachen and our thoughts and prayers are with the stranded soldiers and with their families in this most terrible and trying time. We salute the spirit of more than 450 rescue workers braving the hostile weather conditions to retrieve the missing sons of the soil.

The entire nation salutes the Gayari martyrs for their supreme sacrifice who laid their lives for our safety and security while performing sacred duties of defending their motherland on the world’s highest war zone “Siachen”. As a nation we are united and stand with them and we all pray for them and their family.