NDMA hosts 2nd Pak-China disaster warning symposium

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th May, 2026) The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Monday opened the 2nd Pak-China Symposium on Early Warning for Hydrological and Geological Disasters in Islamabad, bringing together policymakers, scientists, diplomats, UN agencies and international experts to strengthen regional cooperation on climate resilience, disaster preparedness and multi-hazard risk management.

The two day symposium, being held at NDMA headquarters from May 18 to 19, also featured the launch of a report titled “Global Best Practices for Disaster Mitigation and Management”, aimed at improving Pakistan’s disaster response framework through international models and lessons.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal attended the inaugural session as chief guest and warned that climate change had become one of the defining challenges of the century, requiring stronger preparedness, scientific innovation and institutional coordination.

He stressed the need to strengthen provincial capacities and coordination with NDMA for timely early warning dissemination, emergency response and post-disaster recovery operations.

Mr Iqbal said Pakistan faced growing threats from glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs), flash floods, landslides, earthquakes, heatwaves and other extreme weather events, adding that disaster resilience must be integrated into national development planning through science-based policymaking and technological modernisation.

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In his keynote address, NDMA Chairman Inam Haider Malik said the authority was shifting from reactive disaster response to a preparedness-driven and anticipatory disaster management system.

He highlighted the shared geography of the Hindu Kush, Karakoram and Himalayan region, saying Pakistan and China faced common risks due to tectonic fault lines, glacier-fed rivers and strategic infrastructure along the Karakoram belt, making operational cooperation essential.

Representatives from the Chinese Embassy reaffirmed support for deeper bilateral cooperation in disaster management, scientific research and technological innovation.

Experts from Pakistani and Chinese institutions presented research on glacier monitoring, flood forecasting, landslide and seismic hazards, artificial intelligence, geospatial technologies and digital disaster resilience during technical sessions held as part of the symposium.

The event was attended by diplomats, researchers, development partners, students, UN representatives and disaster management practitioners, reflecting growing international collaboration on climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction.