Karachi gets 50 new fire tenders, two snorkels

Sindh Governor inspects newly imported fire fighting equipment

KARACHI:

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail inspected newly imported fire fighting equipment, including 50 fire tenders and two bowsers, on Sunday, that arrived at the Karachi port last week.

He said the equipment was worth Rs1.5 billion and was solely bought by the federal government.

"Of this equipment, some pieces will also be handed over to industrial area and welfare organisations," he said.

The governor said the fire department was in a dire state, with just 11 of its 40 fire tenders in Karachi operational.

"But the federal government has fulfilled one of its promises made to Karachiites," he said, adding that the Centre would also be spending on the upkeep of the equipment for the next three years.

The governor announced that the equipment would be handed over to the fire department by the PM after it is cleared by the customs department.

Without naming anyone, the governor claimed that some people were trying to take the credit for procuring the equipment. "But the truth is that I had received a request for the equipment when I assumed the role of the governor and the federal government, along with the MQM-P, had worked to fulfill the request," he said. "So, the credit goes to the Karachi mayor."

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2021.