The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has officially launched Pakistan’s first sub-national Disaster Risk Reduction Policy to address natural disasters.

The policy was launched during a ceremony held at the Chief Minister House, Peshawar. The policy has been developed with the support of the German government and aims to make the province better able to cope with the risks of natural disasters and climate change.

The event was addressed by Provincial Information Minister Shafi Jan, representing the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said that “the province is now moving towards a strategy of early preparedness, early warning and risk reduction instead of focusing only on relief, rescue and rehabilitation after disasters occur. Modern technology and globally used techniques will be made a part of disaster management, while natural hazards will be taken into account from the very beginning in future development projects.

Shafi Jan said that “The rapidly growing population and unplanned construction are increasing the risks posed by natural disasters, so an effort will be made to make the province safer and more resilient through the new policy.”

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Mariam, Head of Cooperation at the German Embassy, ​​lauded the initiative of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and said that “the new policy will provide a common framework for disaster risk reduction to various institutions. The real success of the policy will depend on its effective implementation, while Germany will continue to cooperate with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in this regard.”