he Punjab government recently launched a specialised Deceased Care Service to assist grieving families during their most difficult moments. Managed by Rescue 1122, the initiative aims to provide dignified, free-of-charge transportation from hospitals for the deceased, countering the exploitative practices of some private ambulance operators.

Initially rolled out in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan, the service is visually distinct from standard emergency vehicles. The ambulances feature a sombre black-and-white colour scheme with bold diagonal stripes and a flat yellow line — a symbolic ‘flatline’ representing the end of life.

“The design helps the public quickly distinguish these from emergency ambulances,” explains Rescue 1122 spokesperson Umer Farooq. “The black evokes a sense of mourning; the white ensures a clean, respectful appearance.”

Inside, the vehicles are stripped of life-support equipment and have a flat platform for secure transport and easy-to-clean interiors. Some units are equipped with basic cooling systems to preserve the remains during transit.

Trained, uniformed staff has been hired for the service. The vehicles are managed through a digital monitoring system linked with the Smart Rescue Management and Dispatch System.

Since its launch last Monday, the service has already seen significant utilisation. At the time of filing this story, the service had shifted eight bodies in Rawalpindi; 15 bodies in Lahore; and 19 in Multan.

While the service is currently restricted to urban centres, the government plans a rapid scale-up. “We intend to expand to every district headquarters and eventually to the tehsil level by June,” says Farooq.

Families can access the service 24/7 by dialing 1122. Dedicated counters have been established at major hospitals to facilitate quick transfers to homes, mortuaries or cold storage units.

“If a family from a remote area in Kasur or Sheikhupura district loses a loved one in a Lahore hospital, they still have to rely on private operators. The scheme will only succeed when it covers the entire province.”

he initiative has been met with praise from health services advocates who have long witnessed the ‘ambulance mafia’ at work. Dr Sohail Badr, a social activist and King Edward Medical University alumnus, calls the project a vital social welfare move.

“Private ambulances often engage in financial blackmail. When a patient expires, families are at their most vulnerable. I’ve seen operators demand exorbitant sums, and grieving relatives, unable to bargain, pay whatever is demanded. The [said] service restores both money and dignity,” says Dr Badr.

However, some medical professionals remain sceptical of its limited scope. Dr Zain Bhatti, a practitioner and politician, says that the urban-centre launch leaves a lot to be desired.

“If a family from a remote area in Kasur or Sheikhupura district loses a loved one in a Lahore hospital, they still have to rely on private operators,” Dr Bhatti notes. “The scheme will only succeed when it covers the entire province.”

Addressing these concerns, Farooq says that the service seeks to remain flexible: “If a vehicle from a district like Okara is already in Lahore, we use its return journey to facilitate families heading back to those areas.”

Ahsan Raza is the editor of Minute Mirror. He can be reached at [email protected]