Ahsan for enhanced Pakistan-China cooperation on disaster warning systems

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th May, 2026) Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Monday called for enhanced Pakistan-China cooperation in disaster forecasting, climate resilience and early warning systems, saying Pakistan must transition from a reactive disaster response model to a predictive and prevention-oriented system.

Addressing the 2nd Pakistan-China Symposium on Early Warning Systems for Hydrological and Geological Disasters organized by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) here, the minister said climate-induced disasters were no longer isolated emergencies but had become developmental and economic challenges directly affecting infrastructure planning, fiscal stability, food security and human settlements.

He said Pakistan, despite contributing less than one percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, remained among the countries most vulnerable to climate-related disasters, including floods, glacial lake outburst events, droughts, earthquakes, landslides and coastal vulnerabilities.

“Pakistan is home to more than 13,000 glaciers, one of the largest concentrations outside the polar regions, and dozens of glacial lakes remain vulnerable to potential outburst floods,” he said, referring to last year’s glacial lake outburst incident in Ghizer Valley that endangered an entire settlement within minutes.

Ahsan Iqbal said the incident highlighted the urgent need for institutional systems capable of detecting hazards early and enabling rapid response before disasters strike.

He said Pakistan also remained highly vulnerable to earthquakes and associated landslides due to its location in a seismically active region at the convergence of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

Referring to the devastating 2005 earthquake, he said the tragedy caused not only the immense human cost of geological disasters but also their long-term impact on infrastructure, livelihoods and public finance.

“The future lies not merely in response, but in anticipation and proactive preparedness,” he remarked.

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The minister said countries around the world were increasingly investing in integrated early warning ecosystems combining satellite monitoring, seismic sensors, hydrological modelling, artificial intelligence, geospatial intelligence and real-time communication systems.

Highlighting China’s achievements in disaster forecasting and integrated emergency management systems, he said Pakistan could benefit greatly from deeper scientific exchange, joint research, technology transfer and institutional collaboration with China.

He said intelligent ground meteorological observation stations and an integrated cloud-based early warning support system established under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) through Chinese grant assistance had significantly strengthened Pakistan’s disaster preparedness capacity.

“These systems, now operational under the Pakistan Meteorological Department, will greatly improve our capacity to monitor weather patterns, issue timely alerts and better protect vulnerable communities from climate-related disasters,” he added.

Ahsan Iqbal said under “Uraan Pakistan”, the government was placing increasing emphasis on climate resilience, risk-informed infrastructure and anticipatory governance.

He said the National Emergencies Operations Centre established by NDMA represented an important step towards building a modern national resilience architecture through AI-enabled forecasting, real-time data fusion, hazard mapping and emergency coordination.

The minister stressed that technology alone was insufficient without institutional coordination, resilient infrastructure, community preparedness and seamless communication among federal, provincial and local authorities.

“The next frontier of Pakistan-China cooperation must increasingly include climate resilience, disaster forecasting, geospatial systems and resilient infrastructure planning,” he added.

He expressed hope that the symposium would generate practical and actionable ideas to help make Pakistan more climate-resilient.