Daily Times

KARACHI: Faisal Edhi, son of late philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi and in charge of Edhi Foundation has appealed federal and Sindh governments to exempt duty on newly imported ambulances to be inducted in fleet.

Keeping in view of recent past wave of terrorism in the country, Edhi Foundation, has decided to increase the number of ambulances. Out of 90 ambulances being imported from China, 30 have already been arrived.

The total cost on 90 ‘long chassis’ vehicles are estimated around Rs 180 million. Modern vehicles with more capacity have double speed as compared to current vehicles in use.

According to Faisal, the remaining will be reaching port in the next two months.

“Federal government can exempt Customs Duty, Sales Tax and Income Tax. If both governments waive duty on import, Edhi Trust can save around Rs 50 million” Faisal told Daily Times.

“Duty and other levies have already been paid on import of 30 vehicles to around Rs 17.5 million besides Excise Department taxes. We have written a letter in this regard to Excise department Sindh and are confident that our request will be acceded,” he added.

On receiving all of them, these will be stationed at various stations of Edhi according to needs of the country including Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Multan, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Rahimyar Khan, Gujrat, Gujranwala and Khuzdar.

In the recent past after the terrorism incidents, a large number of injured along with dead have been lifted but there is dire need of long chassis vehicles and this had been kept in view of increasing number of cases. In time of emergency there is need of wide body vehicles in order to lift maximum number of people affected.

The new vehicle will save half of the time than ones in use subjected to clear of tracks. After inclusion of these vehicles, we would able to coup more efficiently with the intercity matters in case of emergencies.

“The traveling time between Hyderabad to Karachi will become half to the prior time after introducing these vehicles in our fleet,” in charge Edhi Foundation stated.

Edhi Foundation is going to start training of the staff to handle the new vehicles on European Standard in couple of weeks.

Fasial said at present there are around 1800 ambulances in its fleet. The new ambulances would replace old vehicles. The old ones would be auctioned later on.