KARACHI: Chief Executive Officer of Sindh Integrated Emergency and Health Services (SIEHS), Brigadier (Retd) Tarique Quadir Lakhiar, has said that Rescue 1122 will collaborate with the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) to introduce first-aid training programs for the industrial sector, while the proposal to deploy an ambulance at KATI to handle emergencies in Korangi is also under consideration.
He expressed these views while addressing industrialists and members during his visit to KATI. The event was attended by KATI President Muhammad Ikram Rajput, Senior Vice President Zahid Hamid, Vice President Muhammad Talha, former chairmen and presidents Junaid Naqi and Gulzar Feroz, Israr Ahmed Khan, Rescue 1122 officials including Colonel Ali Akbar, Alishbah Junejo, Kiran Saeed, Agha Nauman, and others.
KATI President Muhammad Ikram Rajput presenting a shield to SIEHS CEO Brigadier
(Retd) Tarique Quadir Lakhiar. Senior Vice President Zahid Hamid, Vice President Muhammad Talha,
Gulzar Feroz, Israr Ahmed Khan, Col Ali Akbar, Shahzad Mubeen, Aamir Yousuf, and others are also
present.
Brigadier (Retd) Tarique Quadir Lakhiar stated that Rescue 1122 ambulances in Sindh are equipped with 29 life-saving devices, compared to 13 devices installed in ambulances operating in Punjab. He said this reflects the vision of the Sindh government and Provincial Health Minister Dr. Azra Pechuho. He added that currently 627 modern ambulances, along with motorcycles, bicycles, and boats, are providing emergency medical assistance across Sindh. He noted that the journey, which began with the Aman Foundation, is now continuing under the patronage of the Sindh government, whose support he described as commendable.
He further informed that Rescue 1122’s helpline receives more than 26,000 calls daily, while 39 ambulance stations have been established across Sindh. The long-term target, he added, is to increase the number of ambulances to 1,800 in the province.
Speaking on the occasion, KATI President Muhammad Ikram Rajput said that the successful adoption of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model by SIEHS has set an example not only for the Sindh government but also for the private sector. He said that today, for the common citizen of Sindh, 1122 is not just a number but a symbol of hope in emergencies such as accidents, disasters, and medical crises.
He praised Rescue 1122 for providing round-the-clock services without discrimination, calling it highly commendable.
Rajput emphasized the need to increase strategically located ambulance points in the Korangi Industrial Area in collaboration with KATI to further reduce response time. He also proposed that SIEHS and KATI jointly develop a comprehensive emergency response plan for the area. He highlighted that one of Rescue 1122’s greatest strengths is its free and non-discriminatory service, offering the same standard of care to a poor laborer as to a large industrialist, which he described as a true example of humanitarian service.
Senior Vice President and Standing Committee Chairman Zahid Hameed said that SIEHS’s modern ambulances, which effectively function as “mobile ICUs,” provide critical and timely medical facilities to industrial workers. He added that the services of SIEHS 1122 are widely recognized and appreciated. He suggested that Rescue 1122 experts should provide specialized training to safety staff working in KATI members’ factories, enabling them to act as first responders and take life-saving measures in the crucial time between an accident and the arrival of an ambulance.
On the occasion, Junaid Naqi, Gulzar Feroz, Muhammad Talha, and other participants also shared their views and put forward a number of constructive proposals. They highlighted the need for closer coordination between emergency service providers and the industrial sector.
