Fleet includes an 88m snorkel tender designed to strengthen high-rise rescue operations across the capital<\/p>\n
China\u2019s Embassy in Pakistan announced on Tuesday that Beijing was gifting a modern fleet of 21 fire and rescue vehicles, valued at Rs3 billion, \u201cto upgrade Islamabad\u2019s emergency response infrastructure\u201d.<\/p>\n
According to a post on X, the Chinese Embassy said the fleet would arrive this month and comprise an \u201cadvanced 88m snorkel tender\u201d, substantially bolstering emergency response capability and high-rise rescue operations across the capital.<\/p>\n
The embassy added that the fleet was a \u201ctestament to our timeless, All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership serving and protecting our communities together\u201d.<\/p>\n
\nReinforcing our shared commitment to public safety and disaster resilience. China is gifting a modern fleet of 21 fire & rescue vehicles valued at *PKR 3 Billion* to upgrade Islamabad\u2019s emergency response infrastructure.
Arriving this September, the fleet features an advanced 88m\u2026<\/p>\n\u2014 Chinese Emb Pakistan (@CathayPak) September 1, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
The announcement came after 14 newborn babies were killed<\/a> when a fire broke out on the third floor of the Mother and Child Hospital’s war at Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. The incident prompted citizens and political parties to begin demanding action against those responsible.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later ordered immediate action against eight people<\/a> identified by an inquiry committee over the fire, approving their suspension as well as departmental and criminal proceedings. Those suspended included the executive director.<\/p>\n
The fleet is also another development in regards to the\u00a0All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Beijing and Islamabad, with the two agreeing\u00a0earlier this year to deepen mutual trust, practical cooperation, and defence and security cooperation.<\/p>\n
The commitment came during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif\u2019s visit to China in May<\/a> this year, when the two countries also released a joint communique noting that Islamabad had committed to taking steps to strengthen security measures, while Beijing reaffirmed its support for Pakistan in its fight against terrorism.<\/p>\n
On the occasion, China affirmed its position to work with Pakistan to establish the China-Pakistan Security Partnership, continue bilateral and multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation, and strengthen military-to-military cooperation.<\/p>\n
Read: <\/strong>Pakistan, China deepen IT, agriculture ties<\/a><\/p>\n
Later, in July, the two countries reaffirmed commitment<\/a> to strengthening their strategic security partnership and expanding counterterrorism cooperation. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, during a meeting with a high-level Chinese delegation including Beijing’s vice minister of public security, pledged to deeped bilateral cooperation in internal security.<\/p>\n
China and Pakistan have also sought to deepen cooperation across other fields as well. At the beginning of this year, in January, the two countries held the seventh round of their Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue in Beijing, reiterating zero tolerance for terrorism<\/a>, agreeing to strengthen security cooperation and align development plans under CPEC 2.0, while stressing closer coordination on regional stability, particularly Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
Economic cooperation has also broadened beyond infrastructure.<\/p>\n