Doctors deliver tireless emergency services during heavy shelling in Poonch, Rajouri
Poonch/Rajouri: Medical doctors and personnel working in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir delivered emergency treatment during the May 7 shelling of artillery shells.
The conditions were "war-like," with shells landing close to the Government Medical College and Associated Hospital in Rajouri, Principal Amarjeet Singh Bhatia reported.“The sound of explosions was constant, even near the hospital premises. As soon as the shelling began, we declared an emergency and called all staff in,” he said.
For four straight days, the hospital functioned as a fully mobilized emergency unit. Medical personnel did not leave their posts, nor did they follow shift schedules. Instead, they worked round-the-clock, even converting the hospital basement into temporary accommodation for staff and patients. “Our team stayed inside the hospital for the entire duration. Everyone, from senior surgeons to support staff, was fully committed,” Dr. Bhatia said.
During this period, the hospital received 30 patients with injuries from the shelling. While three, including a senior official, were declared dead on arrival, the remaining 27 received immediate treatment. “Three patients were in critical condition, but our doctors performed multiple surgeries, and they are now stable,” he added.
In Poonch district, the District Hospital became a lifeline as wounded civilians began arriving from the early hours of May 7. “We had patients pouring in from 4 a.m. The emergency wing was packed, and resources were stretched, but every single patient was attended to,” said Dr. Rubina, Medical Officer at the hospital.
Dr. Rubina and her husband, the hospital’s Medical Superintendent, coordinated the emergency response for uninterrupted medical services. “Despite the pressure and limited supplies, no one was left untreated. All doctors, paramedics, and support staff gave their all to serve the injured,” she said.
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Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
