Sukkur: In the context of the Karachi Gul Plaza incident, an emergency response, fire safety workshop, and polio advocacy seminar were organized at the Arts Council Complex Auditorium, Sukkur, under the guidance of the Commissioner Sukkur Division and Deputy Commissioner Sukkur, in collaboration with Civil Defence and Rescue 1122.

The workshop was attended by Commissioner Sukkur Division Abid Saleem Qureshi, Deputy Commissioner Sukkur Nadir Shahzad Khan, Additional Deputy Commissioner Bushra Mansoor, DHO Sukkur Dr. Ali Gul Shah, Assistant Commissioner Sukkur City Sarah Faraz, Dr. Tanveer Abbasi, Dr. Waqar, Deputy Chief Warden Civil Defence Sukkur Saeed Awan, Chairman Sweet Home Sukkur Shabbir Memon, officers from various government departments, volunteers from Rescue 1122, representatives of the business community, media personnel, students, and citizens.

During the workshop, Civil Defence and Rescue 1122 personnel provided detailed guidance on fire safety, handling emergencies, taking preventive measures to avoid fires in buildings, and responding promptly. Participants were educated on the proper use of fire extinguishers, with emphasis that every home, kitchen, shop, office, and public place should have fire extinguishers readily available.

In his address, Commissioner Sukkur Division Abid Saleem Qureshi said that protecting the lives and property of citizens is the top priority, and learning lessons from past incidents makes proactive measures essential. He instructed all relevant institutions to maintain cooperation and strong coordination. He further emphasized that citizens must first become responsible individuals, noting that when people feel accountable, they will dispose of waste in bins, take their children to polio centers themselves, and ensure they receive polio drops, rather than waiting for someone else to do it. He highlighted that currently, polio vaccines are only being produced for children in Pakistan and Afghanistan, as other countries are now polio-free.

Regarding the polio campaign, the Commissioner expressed hope that responsible citizens of Sukkur Division would actively participate, bringing children to centers or administering polio drops at the community level, aiming to set an example similar to the developed world.

Controller Civil Defence, Chairman District Polio Committee, and Deputy Commissioner Sukkur Nadir Shahzad Khan stated that they aim to conduct training sessions in all schools, colleges, and universities with the participation of Civil Defence and Rescue 1122 to raise awareness about emergency preparedness and preventive measures. They lamented that Pakistan has fallen behind in the global fight against polio, despite the fact that polio can be prevented with just two drops per child, urging parents to cooperate fully with polio teams during campaigns.

The workshop and seminar also featured speeches by Additional Deputy Commissioner Bushra Mansoor, DHO Dr. Ali Gul Shah, Deputy Controller Civil Defence Saeed Awan, and Dr. Waqar, emphasizing community awareness, safety, and health initiatives.