Daily Times

Being the Regional Chair of the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), Pakistan National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is hosting the INSARAG Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting from October 28-29, in Islamabad.

The opening session was inaugurated by Chairman NDMA Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, INSARAG Global Lead, Winston Chang, UN Resident Coordinator, Mohamed Yahya, a news release said.

The conference agenda included discussions on the global and regional work plans for 2024, followed by governance review consultations among stakeholders, global meeting, Accountability & Compliance & Classification as well as Global Strategy 2026-2030, NGOs and Partners and Localisation.

The Chairman NDMA emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to enhancing its disaster management systems, improving early warning mechanisms and building capacity for rapid response.

He further highlighted the importance of INSARAG’s mandate and stated, “INSARAG’s mandate of promoting cooperation, coordination, and standardization in search and rescue efforts across the globe remains vital.”

He said that NDMA had proposed a strategic initiative to unify disaster response efforts within the country, ensuring a cohesive and robust approach to disaster management. The conference is being attended by 55 delegations from China, Russia, Australia, South Korea, Turkiye, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, Bangladesh, Nepal and global networking and humanitarian organisations. The other participants included representatives from government departments, country directors of UN organisations in Pakistan, representatives of NGOs and INGOs and media persons.

The INSARAG Asia-Pacific Regional conference will continue until Tuesday at the Marriott Hotel. This year, on January 17, NDMA assumed the chair of INSARAG, reinforcing its leadership role in regional disaster management efforts.

INSARAG is a global network dedicated to enhancing international disaster response, strengthening preparedness through Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) practices. INSARAG sets global standards to ensure teams are fully equipped for action during disasters.