ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired a high-level meeting on the proposed establishment of the Joint Pak Global Tech Facility at the National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The meeting reviewed the role of technology in strengthening Pakistan’s capacity to monitor disasters, issue early warnings and improve preparedness and coordinated emergency response.
Chairman NDMA Lt General Inam Haider Malik briefed the meeting on the functioning of NEOC, including its role in disaster monitoring, early warning, preparedness and coordinated response.
He also briefed participants on NDMA’s Next Generation Technology project and plans to establish a Global Resilience Hub aimed at promoting international cooperation in proactive disaster management.
Ishaq Dar stressed the need to strengthen Pakistan’s resilience against recurring natural disasters, particularly in view of the country’s vulnerability to climate change.
He called for greater use of artificial intelligence and digital technologies to shift disaster management from a largely reactive approach towards stronger early warning, preparedness and risk reduction.
The Deputy Prime Minister also emphasised the need for efficient and coordinated implementation of the plans agreed during the meeting.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Musadik Malik, Chairman NDMA Lt General Inam Haider Malik, SAPM Tariq Bajwa, the Secretary Economic Affairs Division and senior officials from the Ministries of Planning and Development, Finance and Foreign Affairs, as well as NDMA.
The proposed technology initiatives reflect growing efforts to use digital tools, artificial intelligence and early warning systems to strengthen disaster preparedness as Pakistan faces increasing risks from floods, heatwaves and other climate-related hazards.
