Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, chairing a provincial cabinet meeting on Tuesday, approved a Rs33.7 billion package to modernise the province’s firefighting and emergency response system and introduce a new Early Warning Public Alert System.
The cabinet also took a landmark step for labour rights by deciding to grant women agricultural workers equal wages, regulated working hours, maternity benefits, access to healthcare and child nutrition, protection from workplace harassment, written contracts, and the right to association.
Upgrade for Emergency Response Services: The CM approved a landmark proposal to overhaul the province’s emergency response infrastructure, green-lighting a multi-billion-rupee plan to modernise the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and SERS (Sindh Emergency Rescue Service) 1122.
The Cabinet approved engaging the Chinese Consulate to source specialised equipment and vehicles under a government-to-Government (G2G) arrangement.
The procurement includes 100 fire trucks, 35 water bowsers, specialised snorkels, and 50 all-terrain fire vehicles. In a shift toward modern firefighting, the province will acquire eight firefighting drones, 12 multi-purpose drones, and a new Early Warning Public Alert System.
Total project cost is estimated at Rs33.7 billion, spread across three fiscal years, covering equipment, infrastructure development, and human resources.
The CM constituted a high-level committee, including the Ministers for Home and Local Government, to oversee the reorganisation of Sindh’s Rescue Services to ensure a more cohesive and rapid response to emergencies.
Meanwhile, The cabinet reviewed and confirmed several major financial decisions amounting to Rs 23,766.941 million, previously cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Finance, led by Local Government Minister Nasir Shah. These approvals include a grant of Rs 8,530 million for the rehabilitation of Karachi’s road infrastructure under the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC). An amount of Rs 7,000million was approved to compensate traders and shopkeepers affected by the Gul Plaza fire incident.
Sindh cabinet approves Rs33.7 bn to modernise firefighting, emergency response system
