Sindh Minister for Rehabilitation Mir Mumtaz Hussain Jakhrani on Thursday announced that the provincial government is planning to launch Rescue 1122 service in Sindh, saying “budget for the service will be earmarked in the forthcoming fiscal year”.

Jakhrani said the first phase of Rescue 1122 service will kick start from Karachi and the service will consequently be introduced, under its second and third phases, in other parts of the province.

“Consultants have been hired for the purpose,” he maintained.

It is pertinent to mention here that the provincial authorities have repeatedly made announcements to replicate the Punjab crisis management systems in Karachi in the past few years, but so far have failed to do so.

The Sindh government had introduced the project earlier in 2015 in its annual development plan. It was aimed at carrying out rapid rescue and relief work both in the times of crisis and normal days.

Know more: Heat and dust: Time to import 'Rescue 1122' into Karachi

The previous efforts of the Sindh government to launch a service named Rescue-1122 in Karachi on the model of Punjab’s rescue service remained unable to benefit the people of Sindh.

The Sindh government had made 24 ambulances, worth Rs20 million, available under the Rescue-1122 project.

That scheme failed to improve the city’s miserable ambulatory system, for most of the ambulances were never taken out of garages.

‘Joint efforts to handle emergency situations’

Joint efforts will be made by provincial and federal governments to handle any emergency situation during the fast approaching monsoons in the country, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt Gen Omar Mahmood Hayat said on Thursday.

During his visit to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh, Hayat said that recommendations marked by the provincial government with regard to the protection of public life and property, in face of expected heavy rain-fall, will be forwarded to the federal government.

The NDMA chief reiterated that close cooperation will be ensured with the provinces during any possible emergency situation.

Later, addressing a press conference, he said his current visit to Sindh was to enquire problems faced by the province and get these solved on basis of mutual cooperation.