Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: National Disaster Management Authority Pakistan (NDMA) Chairman Asghar Nawaz on Monday urged media to play its pivotal role in raising awareness and educate masses to prepare themselves in case of natural or manmade disasters.

“Both NDMA and media need to go shoulder-to-shoulder to protect our people from catastrophe,” he said in his remarks at the workshop – An all Inclusive Approach. On the occasion, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Dr Mussadaq Malik highlighted the significance of responsible and proactive media reporting in order to ensure maximum safety of communities during the disasters.

He said that the media has power to educate masses and prepare them to avoid panic and life losses during the disasters. He said that the media has to rise as a sign of hope for vulnerable communities in the times of need. He appreciated the efforts of NDMA and the Mediations Pakistan to engage with media and support help understand the disaster management systems.

During the workshop, NDMA’s resource person Syed Ayub Shah said that Pakistan was continuously under threat of experiencing natural disasters like, floods, earthquake, heatwave, droughts etc. “We cannot fight with natural disasters but can prevent, mitigate and prepare ourselves against the likely impacts that may occur during any disaster,” he said.

In this regard, information exchange with the general masses through regular media reporting on natural disasters could play a pivotal role in timely savings the lives and effective response measures, he said. “We have received a tremendous response from media on organising media workshops on such an important subject,” said Wajih Akhtar, executive director of the Mediations Pakistan.

He said that only media can help reduce life losses by raising more awareness on natural disasters. The workshops aimed at sensitising local media community on country’s national disaster management system and role of different stakeholders of society, especially the media. This workshop also provided with an opportunity to the reporters to share their experiences of covering various disaster situations, challenges faced in response and best practices adopted.

They also became members of the Journalists for Disaster Reporting Group (JDRG). A series of media workshops have been planned for engaging reporters towards effective and meaningful disaster reporting to mount better preparedness, timely response and quick recovery. The journalists from electronic and print media participated in the workshop and shared their experiences and challenges in the line of duty.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is the apex national level focal agency for disaster management in Pakistan. It is therefore, mandated to take all stakeholders on-board specifically media for forging an effective preparedness, befitting response and structured recovery in case of any disaster of sizeable magnitude.