PM for response mechanism ahead of monsoon spell

PM Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting to review preparations ahead of the monsoon season.—APP • Body to coordinate with provinces as their cooperation with Centre is key to addressing climate-related disasters• PM directs swift completion of Daanish schools ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed federal and provincial authorities to intensify preparations for the upco­ming monsoon season, ordering the establishment of a national emergency response mechanism and stressing that coordinated action was required to mitigate the growing risks posed by climate change and flooding. Presiding over a meeting to review monsoon preparedness and climate resilience, the prime minister approved the formation of an Emergency Res­ponse Committee head­ed by the planning and development minister. He said Pakistan was among the countries most vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change and stressed that effective cooperation between the federation and the provinces was critical to addre­ssing climate-related disasters. The committee, comprising the National Disa­ster Management Autho­rity (NDMA) and representatives of relevant federal ministries, will work in close coordination with provincial authorities and hold weekly meetings throughout the monsoon season to monitor preparedness and response effo­rts, the PM Office Media Wing said in a statement. PM Shehbaz also dire­cted the finance minister to complete advance arra­n­gements for an emergency fund that could be mobilised in the event of severe monsoon-related disasters. The prime minister also directed the federal minister for climate change and the NDMA chairman to visit all provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) during the current week to finalise monsoon preparedness. Highlighting the government’s commitment to water security, the prime minister highlighted the allocation of an additional Rs330 billion in the current fiscal year’s federal budget to accelerate the completi