Islamabad: Minister for Climate Change Dr. Musadik Malik announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved an integrated national strategy aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate-induced emergencies. This announcement was made during a news conference in Islamabad, where Dr. Musadik was accompanied by Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik.

According to Radio Pakistan, Dr. Musadik Malik detailed that the approved strategy consists of a comprehensive three-phase program designed to address climate-related damages, with a particular emphasis on those caused by floods and heavy rains. The first phase, expected to be completed within 200 days, will prioritize repairing damage from recent floods, including drainage systems and embankments.

The second phase, spanning one to three years, will focus on expanding early warning systems nationwide to ensure timely disaster alerts at both Tehsil and District levels. The third phase, extending over three to five years, aims to build resilient infrastructure to mitigate adverse impacts of rains and floods, particularly during monsoon seasons.

Dr. Musadik further noted that the Prime Minister has mandated the creation of a ‘mobile health system’ designed to swiftly reach disaster-hit regions, functioning as trauma care centers. He emphasized that the NDMA is equipped to predict disasters with up to 95 percent accuracy months in advance and is preparing for potentially higher-than-normal snowfall in the northern areas, which could lead to flooding due to rapid snowmelt from early heatwaves.

Chairman NDMA, Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, highlighted that Pakistan ranks among the top five countries most affected by climate change. He stressed that rising global temperatures are exacerbating the severity of weather events annually, and the NDMA is working closely with provincial authorities to minimize climate-induced losses.