PM Shehbaz directs NDMA to coordinate with provinces for disaster prevention

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the National Disaster Management Authority to develop a coordinated programme with the provincial disaster management authorities to help prevent incidents like the recent Swat tragedy.

He was addressing a ceremony during his visit to the National Emergency Operations Centre of the NDMA in Islamabad on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister also instructed for compiling a comprehensive reporting regarding such incidents. He said around forty-nine people have been died and several others injured across Pakistan.

Commending the state of the art NEOC facility, he also assured to provide all possible assistance to strengthen the institute and its capacity building.

Shehbaz Sharif also shared that he has already tasked Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Minister for Climate Change Musadik Masood Malik to secure not loans, but grants and investments through public-private partnerships aimed at building resilient infrastructure in Pakistan.

On the subject of water security, and in light of India’s provocative and hostile intentions regarding the Indus Water Treaty, the Prime Minister announced the government’s decision to construct non-controversial water storage facilities using Pakistan’s own resources.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan, unfortunately, is now on the map of countries, which can be hit by cloudbursts, despite having any contribution towards greenhouse emissions.

He added that recent devastation in sudden glacial melting because of unprecedented heat wave demands the highest level of preparedness.