KARACHI, May 24: The City Government has formulated its strategy to meet the challenges of any emergency situation arising out of the tense situation on the borders of the country.

According to the strategy, the City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, would act as Chief of Command for all institutions in any emergency situation, so that the institutions could discharge their responsibilities in a coordinated manner.

“A central control room of the City Government would remain in touch with all institutions of the city and they, in turn, would also remain in contact with the City Nazim through it.

“All town chiefs would be responsible of the affairs of their towns and for coordination between the institutions, while the chief executive of the towns would assist them.”

These decisions were taken in a meeting held on Thursday with the City Nazim in the chair and attended by Town Nazims, DCO, chiefs or representatives of the army monitoring team, CCPO, DIG Operations, DIG Traffic, KPT Sui Southern Gas, PTCL, Pakistan Railways, water board, KESC, petroleum companies, EDOs, Edhi Foundation, medical superintendents of all large hospitals, EDOs, Civil Defence and Fire Brigade.

Highlighting the purpose of the meeting, DCO Shafiq-ur-Rehman Paracha said that close coordination among all the institutions was necessary to meet any emergency situation.

He informed the participants that phone and fax numbers of the control room at the city level would be made public through newspapers in a day or two, from where people could get necessary information.

“The central control room would be set up at the Civic Centre with a control room in each town. District Officer (General), Ehteshamuddin, would be the incharge of the central control room, while the Town Nazim would be responsible for the respective town control room. A control room at the level of the Union Council would also be set up. All control rooms would work round-the-clock.

The meeting also decided to make special arrangements for the protection of KESC, water board, oil refineries and other important installations pertaining to the daily necessities of life.

The water board chief security officer informed the meeting that most of the installations of the board were located outside the city where the police and rangers had already been deployed, while a battalion of Air Defence had been deployed at Dhabeji pumping station.

The meeting was informed that the District Officer (General) would cooperate with the KESC, Keamari and Zulfiqarabad oil installations, KPT and Port Qasim for security measures, who would also keep the Nazim abreast.

Likewise, Executive District Officer Works and Services, Zaheer Ahmad Qadri, in an emergency situation including tragedy of collapsing buildings, fire, law and order, disruption of gas supply, etc, would be responsible for coordination between emergency services. He would also cooperate in security arrangements at oil installations.

All Towns would determine the place for setting up relief camps in open spaces.

The meeting also directed all sensitive institutions to keep a record of all those visiting and leaving installations such as KESC, water reservoir, oil filling spots, Kanupp, etc.

The meeting also decided to set up emergency health centres at the Town and Union Council levels where first aid and emergency treatment facilities, including medicines, would be provided.

The City Nazim informed the meeting that there was sufficient stock of medicines available which would be supplied to healthcare centres with the approval of the Nazim or DCO.

The meeting also decided that the Community Development Department of the City Government would seek cooperation from NGOs and philanthropists for transferring disabled, elderly people, women and children to secure places in an emergency situation.