A fleet of 21 modern fire and rescue vehicles for Islamabad Rescue 1122 and the capital’s fire brigade has arrived at Karachi Port as part of efforts to strengthen the city’s emergency response capabilities.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited Karachi Port and inspected the newly arrived vehicles. According to officials, the vehicles are expected to reach Islamabad from Karachi within five days.
The vehicles have been provided by China under a 2024 Pakistan-China memorandum of understanding. The Chinese assistance, including fire and rescue equipment, is valued at 72.31 million yuan, equivalent to approximately Rs3 billion.
A major addition to the fleet is an advanced 88-metre snorkel fire tender, which will significantly extend Islamabad’s high-rise rescue capability. Existing fire tenders in the capital can reportedly reach around 68 metres, while the new equipment will enable rescue operations at heights of up to 88 metres.
Naqvi said the addition of the new vehicles represents a major expansion of Islamabad’s Rescue 1122 and firefighting fleet, particularly as the city’s existing fire vehicles have been in service for nearly two decades. The last major procurement for the CDA Fire Department was made in 2006, according to officials.
The arrival of the new vehicles comes after a deadly fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad on August 26, in which 14 newborn babies lost their lives. The incident prompted renewed scrutiny of fire-safety arrangements and emergency response capabilities at the hospital.
The new fleet is expected to improve Islamabad’s ability to respond to fires, high-rise emergencies and other rescue situations, while providing modern equipment to replace some of the capital’s ageing firefighting resources.