ISLAMABAD: A national flood control plan would be formed after consulting with international experts in the field as per the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“An efficient drainage system and disaster-resistant infrastructure are critical to protecting the country against natural disasters,” he said while presiding over the first meeting of the National Flood Response & Coordination Centre (NFRCC) in the federal capital.

The NFRCC, which is the nerve centre for coordinating relief efforts, constituted a committee to present a “viable” plan for the improvement of the drainage system in order to minimise flood damages in the future.

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PM Shehbaz asked provincial chief secretaries to ensure the implementation of the zoning laws and regulations on land use in the river bed to avoid any such catastrophe in the future.

“A joint survey by the representatives of National Disaster Management Authority, PDMAs, Pakistan Army Engineering Corp and provincial revenue departments is being done to ascertain credible data on the scale of losses to life, property and infrastructure inflicted by rains and floods in order to expedite and further coordinate relief efforts being made to address the historic calamity,” he added.

Earlier, the NFRC team briefed the premier on the implementation of a three-pronged strategy of rescue, relief and rehabilitation to minimise the damages caused by floods.