Speakers call for finding local solutions to Karachi’s problems

The Sindh Emergency Rescue Service’s (Sers) Rescue 1122 ambulance service receives 5,000 calls a day for medical emergencies and rescue operations. This was revealed during

‘Safe Karachi Conference: Strengthening Urban Resilience’.

Organised by K-Electric in collaboration with the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), the conference was held to hold a dialogue on strengthening urban resilience for a safer Karachi.

During the conference hosted by analyst Zarrar Khuhro at the IBA City Campus, the speakers held a discussion on a vision for a safer Karachi and its preparedness for disasters, including monsoon flooding and heatwaves. They also discussed public threats, including regulatory enforcement and safety hazards, and the city’s other challenges.

Sers CEO Brigadier (retd) Tariq Lakhair said Rescue 1122 Sindh was launched in 2021, nearly 15 years after Punjab, but it has gradually spread to 30 districts and 1,280 locations across the province.

Lakhair said Rescue 1122 receives 5,000 calls a day, of which nearly 99 per cent are medical-related and half are for rescue services. He said an ambulance costs Rs20 million and is equipped with a ventilator and paramedic facilities.

He mentioned that a basic ambulance reaches the patient in three minutes, and an advanced ambulance reaches in seven minutes. He also mentioned that they have provided services during 650,000 road accidents, but there has been no incident of theft, as all personal items are returned.

He said that 762 babies have been safely delivered in the ambulance. Sers has started motorcycle ambulance and marine ambulance services, but it currently does not have the resources to start an air ambulance service, he added.

The Alertli app was also launched during the conference. The app aims to report safety hazards, including encroachments. While introducing the app, KE Brand Marketing Head Noor Afshan said Karachi is a city resilient against odds. It ranks among the least liveable cities but is still the cheapest city, she added.

Citing a report, she said that 70 per cent of accidents occur inside homes and private premises, while 388 incidents of electrocution were reported between 2019 and 2023. She also said Alertli utilises crowdsourcing and geofencing to report safety hazards or accidents. She urged residents to download the app and contribute to improving public safety.

The speakers also discussed the challenges in addressing the safety hazards of encroachment and the impact of service to commuters. Syed Khalid Hyder Shah, additional chief secretary, Sindh Local Government Department, said that a vibrant local system is evolving in the province and is making efforts to improve safety standards.

Additional Commissioner Ghulam Mehdi said that there is coordination with the institutions during monsoon rains but the response is delayed in some areas. Competitive and Liveable City of Karachi Project Director Asif Jan Siddiqui said Alertli meets the requirements of a survey completed by the LG department several years ago. KE Chief Distribution and Marketing Officer Sadia Dada stressed the need for a collaborative tool to improve living standards in Karachi.

The second panel discussed monsoon flooding and heatwave related risk preparedness, and shared responsibility. The speakers stressed on collaborative efforts for effective urban resilience strategies.

Journalist and environmental activist Afia Salam said that a heatwave management plan was devised during the 2015 heatwave in Karachi but was not implemented. She said that the urban forest policy should be implemented and public parks should be developed to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Provincial Disaster Management Authority Operations Manager Imdad Hussain said that a survey has been conducted for disaster response in all the districts of the province. He said efforts are being made to strengthen collaboration with district disaster management authorities. Solid Waste Emergency & Efficiency Project Director Zubair Ahmed Channa emphasised on making efforts to improve drainage systems.

Karachi Urban Lab Associate Director Soha Macktoom said Karachi is vulnerable to two main disasters: urban flooding and heatwave. She said Katchi Abadis are blamed for encroachments but many commercial properties and government institutions are also in the right of passage of floodwater drains.

She said the city faces longer, hotter summers, which does fit the definition of a heatwave. She stressed on identifying the needs of Karachi and introducing it in the master plan. KE Regional Head Humayun Saghir said they provide a public utility and are dedicated to making electricity accessible to all areas of the city. The conference concluded with emphasis on the need to find local solutions for local problems.