KARACHI: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday inspected 21 new rescue and firefighting vehicles that arrived at Karachi Port from China, marking the first major addition to Islamabad’s emergency fleet in about 17 years.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Interior, the vehicles will be transported to Islamabad within five days. Officials briefed the minister that the new fleet is equipped with modern technology and can conduct rescue and firefighting operations at heights of up to 256 feet.
The consignment includes four aerial fire trucks, six fire towers and five fire tanks, along with other support vehicles. Naqvi said the vehicles would be kept on permanent alert at Islamabad’s six rescue stations.
He described the arrival as a major expansion of the capital’s rescue infrastructure since 2009 and thanked the Chinese government for the timely delivery.
The vehicles are part of a package gifted by China under a memorandum of understanding signed in 2024. The package is valued at around Rs3 billion, or 72.31 million yuan.
Earlier reports said the fleet includes specialised high-reach equipment capable of operating at around 88 metres, compared with the approximately 68-metre reach of the city’s existing snorkels.
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Senior customs officials, CDA Chairman, Islamabad Chief Commissioner, a CDA director and representatives of the National Logistics Cell were also present during the inspection.
The Capital Development Authority currently operates 22 fire tenders and four snorkels. The last major procurement of firefighting vehicles for the capital took place around 2006.
The new fleet is expected to improve Islamabad’s emergency response capacity, particularly during incidents involving high-rise buildings.
