ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam on Tuesday highlighted the increasing risks Pakistan faced from natural disasters, many of which were intensified by global warming.

In a statement released on the occasion of National Resilience Day, Ms Alam emphasised that building resilience was critical to safeguarding lives, livelihoods, ecosystems and vital infrastructure such as roads, schools and hospitals.

She recalled the devastating 2005 earthquake, the catastrophic floods of 2022 and the deadly 2015 heat wave, all of which underscored Pakistan’s vulnerability to natural calamities. She said resilience-building efforts were essential to reduce the loss of life and minimise the economic impacts of such disasters.

National Resilience Day, observed annually on October 8, commemorated the 73,000 lives lost in the 2005 earthquake that struck northern Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The day also highlighted the nation’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its ability to withstand increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters.

In her statement, Romina Alam paid tributes to the victims of these past disasters, while acknowledging the significant challenges posed by climate change.

She praised federal and provincial government organisations for their role in developing and implementing policies aimed at enhancing the country’s disaster resilience.

“The significance of collaboration between local, provincial and national stakeholders cannot be overstated,” the PM’s aide said, emphasising the need for a unified response to strengthen disaster management

systems, improve infrastructure and foster environmental sustainability.

She urged all stakeholders to work together, leveraging each other’s strengths, expertise and resources to create a more resilient Pakistan.

Romina Alam highlighted the importance of cooperation among institutions tasked with disaster risk management, cautioning that without coordination, the development of effective contingency plans and risk communication strategies would be severely hampered.

“For national resilience to be achieved, these plans must be effectively implemented,” she added.

She also called for National Resilience Day to serve as an inspiration for policymakers and practitioners involved in

disaster management to adopt best practices and develop strategies that enhance the country’s disaster preparedness and resilience.

Ms Alam stressed the need to invest in climate-smart agriculture and green infrastructure development, which not only support resilience-building but also contributed to environmental sustainability.

Furthermore, she advocated for the use of technology, the enhancement of early warning systems, and the construction of robust infrastructure to better prepare for future climate-related disasters.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2024