Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has revea;ed that the floods in 2022 caused $30 billion in economic losses to Pakistan.

The PM addressed the National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Thursday, highlighting Rs100 billion spending by the government for rehabilitation with provincial spending and aid from friendly countries.

He said that the capacity building of NDMA for maximum resources for human resource development and provision of the necessary equipment is to be considered, suggesting NDMA turn the emergency operation system into a world-class facility.

He said that high-quality centers should be chosen for internal and external areas of the country to train and guide human resources in disaster management and response. The PM assured us to bear the expenses for training programs, calling it an investment.

The Ministry of Climate Change must play a crucial role in effectively dealing with climate change, as per PM.

Shehbaz Sharif laid out a comprehensive plan for crucial equipment to be prepared for any calamity for provinces, recalling the integration among provinces in floods 2022 with the main focus is to train the youth.

“Due to climate change, Pakistan is in the red zone and among the top 10 vulnerable countries. We should not lose our morale but rather work hard. After this achievement, I have no doubt that the NDMA, in coordination with provincial PDMAs, will become a safety wall for Pakistan,” the prime minister said during his visit to the NEOC.

He appreciated Chairman NDMA Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik for building upon their capacity building and human resource development and efforts by Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and other federal and provincial organisations as they were able to rehabilitate people.

“This is not normal. This is not usual. This is far above normal and usual,” he said.

He told the gathering that the federal government had allocated Rs80 billion to promote information technology besides signing an agreement with Huawei to train 300,000 Pakistani youths in IT annually.

Malik briefed the prime minister about the capabilities of the NEOC, appreciating him for his efforts regarding multiple satellite feeds, softwares and artificial intelligence tools, digital risk assessment, early warning systems and preparedness strategies for Pakistan.

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“NEOC served as a hub for emergency response and coordination among PDMAs, DDMAs, relevant ministries/departments and other pertinent stakeholders including domestic-international humanitarian partners ensuring swift and effective response during all phases of disasters specifically pre-disaster stage,” Malik stated.

The meeting was attended by other cabinet members such as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Industries Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, Petroleum Minister Dr Musaddik Malik, Advisor to PM Rana Sanaullah, and coordinators to the PM Romina Khurshid Alam and Dr Mukhtar Ahmed.