The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) will establish new fire stations, upgrade existing infrastructure and procure modern equipment to combat fire incidents, said Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Saturday.
Officials said that in a decisive move to strengthen the emergency response system and enhance the operational capacity of the Fire Brigade Department, Wahab directed the establishment of new fire stations across key districts of the city, including West, Keamari, Malir and East districts.
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by the mayor at the KMC headquarters, focusing on improving response time and ensuring preparedness to deal with the increasing number of fire incidents in the city.
Municipal Commissioner KMC Abrar Jaffer briefed the meeting on the ongoing upgradation work at several fire stations, including those in Gulshan-e-Jauhar, Korangi, Boulton Market, and North Karachi.
The mayor directed that all upgradation and rehabilitation work must be completed before May 30, emphasizing the urgency in view of the rising number of fire emergencies.
He said that Karachi, being a megacity, densely populated and the economic hub of Pakistan, requires a robust and modern firefighting system. He stressed the need for significant investment in infrastructure and services to safeguard lives and property.
The municipal commissioner further stated that the procurement process for essential firefighting and urban rescue equipment had been completed, and work orders amounting to Rs292 million had been issued, including pending items from previous procurements.
The equipment includes hydraulic rescue tools, industrial fans, generators, water bowsers, rehabilitation of snorkels, protective gloves, safety masks, mobile lighting towers, and other modern firefighting apparatus.
The mayor also directed the immediate repair and operationalization of 17 non-functional fire vehicles, instructing the relevant departments to ensure that all vehicles are restored and deployed on the roads at the earliest to improve emergency response capabilities.
Highlighting the importance of efficiency and accountability, the mayor reiterated that no compromise would be made on performance and that all departments must work on an emergency footing to deliver results.
The meeting was attended by Municipal Commissioner KMC Abrar Jaffer, Financial Advisor Gulzar Abro, Senior Director Coordination to Mayor Akhlaq Ahmed, Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan, Director Media Daniyal Siyal, along with other senior officials.
