Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said Pakistan had been included in the red zone of climate change and is one of the world’s 10 countries most affected by the phenomenon.

Speaking at ceremony held here to launch the National Emergencies Operation Centre set up under the NDMA here, he encouraged the nation and stressed that “we must not lose heart and work hard.”

He was all praise for the NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) for its “important role in the rehabilitation of flood victims” in 2022.

He recalled that the country suffered $30 billion loss in 2022 floods. The deluge wreaked havoc in Sindh and the NDMA played an important role in rescue and rehabilitation of flood victims, he added.

The prime minister commended the NDMA chairman who took steps to tackle the challenges of climate change. The NDMA devised a strategy and implemented it successfully in unison with other departments.

He mentioned the NDMA’s weather information system and said it is a role model for other departments as well. The joint efforts of the provinces and the federal government ensured the rehabilitation of the flood victims, he continued.

He said Pakistan faced many floods in the past and the government had earmarked Rs100 billion for the rehabilitation of flood victims in the next budget.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said Pakistan raised voice for the flood victims at a donors’ conference in Geneva and stressed on measures for their rehabilitation.