How to Request Punjab's Free Air Ambulance: Dial 1122, Who Qualifies and What to Say

To request Punjab's free air ambulance, dial 1122. There is no separate number or form. Rescue 1122 doctors judge whether the patient is critical, and if so the air transfer is arranged through the same call. The government says it is free, with no income test.

Many people hear "air ambulance" and think it needs a minister's letter or a special card. It does not, according to the Punjab government. The only gate is a medical one.

We read the Punjab government's page on the service on 11 October 2026. It is short, and some details readers ask about are not published, such as the fleet size, the bases and the average response time. We mark those below instead of guessing.

The service is free and runs through Rescue 1122

Punjab describes it as Pakistan's first provincial air ambulance service. It is operated through Rescue 1122 and the Punjab Emergency Service. It gives fast air transfer for critical patients, mainly from remote districts where the road is too slow or the needed care is not nearby.

The government page lists free, rapid air transfer of critical patients, such as accident, heart and burn cases, to major hospitals, including those in Lahore. The aircraft carry equipment for medical care during the flight. It also says that over 300 patients have been moved so far, including accident victims and teachers working in remote areas, and that coverage keeps growing into more districts.

Only a Rescue 1122 doctor decides who flies

The case must be assessed and classified as critical by Rescue 1122 doctors. Punjab residents are given priority. There is no income limit: the page says access rests on medical urgency, not on money.

That doctor's call may disappoint you. A patient who is stable enough for a ground ambulance will go by road, even if the family wants a helicopter. The rule exists so the aircraft is kept for people for whom hours matter.

How to ask for it when someone is badly hurt

Call 1122, say it is an emergency, and give the exact place and the patient's condition. Do not search for another number. The government page says the whole process is coordinated over that one call.

1. Dial 1122 from any phone.
2. Say where the patient is. A district, a tehsil and the nearest well-known place help most.
3. Say what happened: the accident, chest pain, burn or other injury, and whether the patient is awake and breathing.
4. Answer the control room's questions. They are how the doctors judge the case.
5. Follow the instruction for first aid, and keep the phone free for a call back.

Do not argue about the aircraft with the call taker. Ask whether it is possible, and let the doctor decide. And keep the ground ambulance moving in the meantime, because the road may still be the faster way.

What the page does not tell us

The Punjab page does not say how many aircraft are in service, where they are based, which hospital a patient is taken to, or how long they take to arrive. It does not list limits on age or weight. We also could not open the Rescue 1122 website to check, so we cannot give any of these figures.

Reports about the service from earlier years described a small fleet stationed at a few bases. We have not used those figures, because we could not confirm them with the service itself. If you are planning for a remote area, ask your district Rescue 1122 office what the real arrangement is.

For everyday emergencies, our own Rescue 1122 explainer covers what the ground service handles, and the Edhi and Chhipa ambulance numbers are the private-charity alternatives.

Where the patient goes after the flight

The government page names major hospitals such as those in Lahore as the destination. It does not say the family can choose. Plan for the hospital the crew picks, and bring the CNIC and any past medical papers if you can reach them.

Treatment costs after arrival are a separate matter from the flight. The page says the air transfer is free. It does not say what the hospital charges, so ask the hospital about the Sehat Card or other cover. Punjab's free health programmes beyond the Sehat Card is worth reading before an emergency, not during one.

Common questions

What is the Punjab air ambulance number?

1122. The government page says the whole process is coordinated over that single call.

Is the air ambulance free?

Yes. The Punjab government calls the transfer free, with no income test.

Who decides if I get an air ambulance?

Rescue 1122 doctors, who must classify the case as critical or an emergency.

Can I choose the hospital?

The page names major hospitals such as those in Lahore as destinations. It does not say a family can choose, so expect the crew to decide.

Can I book it for a planned transfer?

The page describes emergency use only. For a planned transfer, ask the hospital and your district Rescue 1122 office.

Is it available in every district?

Not confirmed. The page says coverage continues to expand into more districts, but does not list them.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

We checked this on 11 October 2026. We read the Punjab Directorate General of Public Relations page on Punjab's first air ambulance, which gives the operator, the eligibility, the 1122 number, the free service and the figure of over 300 patients. We could not open the Rescue 1122 website. The fleet, bases, response times and district list are not published on the page we read, so we have not stated them.