Sindh Government Directs Acceleration of Rescue 1122 Expansion, Establishment of New Stations
By Qurban Ali Khushik
KARACHI : Sindh Chief Minister’s Adviser on Rehabilitation Giyan Chand Essrani has directed officials to accelerate measures to improve the performance of Sindh Emergency Rescue Service 1122, expand the emergency response system across the province, including Karachi, and establish new rescue stations.
He issued these directives while chairing a review meeting on the performance and progress of Rescue 1122, which examined emergency response services, the establishment of new stations, upgrading and maintenance of rescue equipment, staffing, training activities, infrastructure, financial matters and pending projects.
The meeting was attended by Rehabilitation Secretary Rafiq Mustafa Sheikh, Director General Sindh Emergency Rescue Services 1122 Brigadier (Retd.) Wajid Sabghatullah Mehr, Director Operations Dr. Abid Sheikh, Director Administration Sardar Shah and other relevant officials.
During the briefing, officials informed the meeting that Rescue 1122’s command and control centre receives an average of 24,700 calls daily, with the annual call volume reaching approximately 9.8 million. The service’s average response time ranges from eight to 12 minutes, increasing to 20–22 minutes during peak traffic hours, while rescue motorcycles generally reach incident sites within four to five minutes.
Since its establishment, Rescue 1122 has provided more than 1.33 million emergency medical services. The service has also conducted rescue operations in 1,822 road accidents, 740 water-related incidents, 5,264 fire emergencies and 169 building collapses, saving 5,238 lives.
During the 2025 floods, the service relocated 1,529 people to safer locations and rescued 750 livestock. The organisation currently operates a fleet of 149 vehicles and has a workforce of 1,723 personnel. The province has 15 highway rescue stations and 15 satellite stations.
The meeting was further informed that between April 21 and October 14, 2026, Rescue 1122 received 136 calls related to rabies emergencies. A total of 86 people were referred for anti-rabies vaccination, 62 ambulances were dispatched, and 65 people received vaccinations.
Rescue operations increased during July–September 2026, with 1,220 incidents handled compared with 961 during the corresponding period last year.
Officials also reported that 1,290 training activities were conducted between May 2023 and September 2026, benefiting 69,808 participants. In addition, 1,972 fire safety audits were carried out between January and September 2026.
Regarding the expansion of the service, the meeting was informed that new district stations in Matiari, Sanghar and Naushahro Feroze have been completed and are expected to begin operations during the current year. Construction work is underway at stations in Khairpur and Rohri.
The meeting also reviewed administrative, construction and financial matters, including salary payments, expenditure utilisation reports and the annual procurement plan for the 2026–27 financial year.
Speaking on the occasion, Essrani said providing timely and effective emergency assistance to the public was among the Sindh government’s top priorities. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enhancing Rescue 1122’s operational capacity and strengthening the province’s emergency response system through all necessary measures.
