Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday presided over a high-level meeting to review and approve a comprehensive plan for the reorganisation and modernisation of emergency services across the province, aimed at establishing an integrated, efficient and responsive system under a unified command.
The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, senior officials, and key stakeholders, including Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Sindh Building Control Authority Director General (DG) Muzamel Halepoto, Provincial Disaster Management Authority DG Salman Shah and other relevant officers.
During the briefing, the CM was informed that a province-wide fire safety audit had been conducted by 122 teams, covering 3,340 buildings as of April 1, exceeding the initial target of 2,368.
The audit revealed significant improvement in compliance levels with substantially compliant buildings increasing to 1,328 (43 per cent), while high-risk structures dropped from 33 per cent in February to 22 per cent.
The CM was told that enforcement actions included sealing of several dangerous buildings and issuance of over 3,000 notices to ensure compliance with fire safety regulations. Expressing concern over public safety, the CM said, “Protection of human lives and property is the foremost responsibility of the government. We cannot afford gaps in emergency response systems.”
He directed the relevant departments to ensure strict enforcement of fire safety laws, regular inspections and immediate corrective measures in high-risk buildings. “There should be zero tolerance for negligence when it comes to safety standards,” he emphasised.
The meeting approved a comprehensive financial plan of over Rs30.8 billion for strengthening of fire and emergency services through procurement of specialised vehicles and equipment, including 100 fire trucks, snorkels, aerial ladders, drones, fire bikes, and all-terrain vehicles, along with modern rescue tools such as thermal imaging cameras, breathing apparatus and life detection systems. It also included significant investment in the construction of new fire stations and establishment of a Rescue 1122 academy to enhance training and institutional capacity.
The CM was briefed on two procurement options, including government-to-government arrangements and international competitive bidding, with the final decision to be taken after consultations with relevant federal authorities.
A high-level committee presented its recommendations for structural reforms, proposing the creation of a unified and autonomous authority for emergency services in Sindh. Under the proposed model, Rescue 1122 and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) would function as operational wings of the new authority.
The committee also recommended the integration of civil defence functions excluding wartime roles, emergency health services, and compensation mechanisms under a single umbrella to streamline response and coordination during disasters.
Endorsing the recommendations in principle, the CM directed that a comprehensive legal framework be prepared to formalise the new structure. He approved the formation of a five-member committee to be headed by the advocate general of Sindh for drafting the required legislation.
