Pakistan advancing in technology for pre-emptive measures for disaster management

ISLAMABAD, June 6 (APP): Chairman NDMA Maj Gen Asghar Nawaz on
Monday urged media to play its pivotal role in raising awareness and
educate masses to prepare themselves in case of natural or manmade
disasters.
“Media and NDMA need to go shoulder to shoulder to protect our
people from catastrophe,” said Chairman NDMA in his remarks at the
workshop, “An all Inclusive Approach” organized by NDMA and
Mediations Pakistan.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr. Mussadaq Malik on the
occasion highlighted the significance of responsible and proactive
media reporting in order to ensure maximum safety of communities
during natural or manmade disasters.
“Media has a power to educate masses and prepare them to
avoid panic and life losses during disaster,” said Dr. Mussadiq
Malik.
Media has to rise as a sign of hope for vulnerable communities
in the times of need, he further added.
Dr. Mussadiq Malik appreciated the efforts of NDMA and
Mediations Pakistan to engage with media and support help understand
the disaster management systems of the country.
During the workshop, NDMA’s Resource Person Syed Ayub Shah
said that, “Pakistan is continuously under threat of experiencing
natural disasters like, floods, earthquake, heat-wave, droughts etc.
“We cannot fight with natural disasters but can prevent, mitigate and
prepare ourselves against the likely impacts that may occur during
any disaster. In this regard, information exchange with the general
masses through regular media reporting on natural disasters can play
a pivotal role in timely savings the lives and effective response
measures.”
Executive Director Mediations Pakistan, Wajih Akhtar said,
“We have received a tremendous response from media on organizing
media workshops on such an important subject.”
He said that only media can help reduce life losses by raising more awareness on natural disasters.
The workshops aimed at sensitizing local media community on
country’s national disaster management system and role of different
stakeholders of society, especially the media.
This workshop also provided with an opportunity to the reporters to
share their experiences of covering various disaster situations, challenges faced in response and best practices adopted.
They also became members of “Journalist for Disaster Reporting Group
(JDRG).
A series of media workshops have been planned for engaging media
reporters towards effective and meaningful disaster reporting to mount better preparedness, timely response and quick recovery.
A large number of journalists from electronic and print media
reporting natural disasters participated in the workshop and shared
their experiences and challenges in the line of duty.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is the Apex
national level Focal Agency for Disaster Management in Pakistan. It is
therefore, mandated to take all stakeholders on-board specifically media for forging an effective preparedness, befitting response and structured recovery in case of any disaster of sizeable magnitude.