PESHAWAR(National Times)- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has become the first province to launch an integrated 911 service to enable citizens in distress to reach out to first responders for help.

Test and trial of the Pakhtunkhwa Emergency Helpline (PHEL) 911 was initiated in March this year. “Tests were run successfully, and by June 15, the service had received 4.7 million calls, although a large number of them were crank and unnecessary calls,” Project Director Rifaqat Khan told the participants of the inaugural ceremony.

Special assistant to the chief minister for home and tribal affairs, Tariq Saeed Marwat, inaugurated the service.

Additional chief secretary, home and tribal affairs Ikramullah Khan and chairman National Telecommunication Corporation, Maj-Gen retired Ali Farhan, were also in attendance.

Mr Marwat informed the audience that the 911 project was first initiated by former prime minister Imran Khan in April, 2022 and was supposed to become operational all across the country, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir, but for some unspecified reasons, it was suspended in February 2024.

He said that KP had now become the first province to provide a comprehensive and integrated helpline to its citizens, which would even work on the SOS module.

Initially, he said the service would include first responders from the police,

Rescue 1122, victims of domestic violence, tourists in distress and incidents involving natural hazards, but that efforts were being made to integrate other first responders’ services as well. “It will be available to all citizens of KP,” Mr Marwat said.

He appealed to citizens to avoid making crank calls to allow those in distress to make use of the service. “This will save lives,” he said.

Project director Rifaqat Khan informed the audience that the 911 services would be available 24/7 to all. “This will not only save lives but will also restore public trust in government.