Prime Minister, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has paid heartfelt tribute to the victims of the devastating October 8, 2005 earthquake and reaffirmed the government’s resolve to strengthen disaster preparedness and build a climate-resilient Pakistan.
PM pays tribute to 2005 earthquake victims, stresses climate-resilient development
ISLAMABAD, Oct 7 (APP): Prime Minister, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has paid heartfelt tribute to the victims of the devastating October 8, 2005 earthquake and reaffirmed the government’s resolve to strengthen disaster preparedness and build a climate-resilient Pakistan.
In his message on the 21st National Resilience Day, the prime minister said the nation continued to mourn the precious lives lost in the unprecedented devastation caused by the earthquake while also remembering the courageous and compassionate collective response shown by the people during the tragedy.
He said Pakistan was among the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change despite its minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions.
“Recurring natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, landslides, forest fires, pandemics and smog test our resolve and cost dearly on our meager resources,” he observed.
The prime minister said Pakistan’s experience with repeated disasters had become a “saga of resilience,” with the nation standing firm each time and remaining committed to learning from previous experiences to improve preparedness and response.
He underscored the importance of coordination among provincial governments, relevant government institutions, the private sector and civil society to enhance the country’s capacity to cope with future disasters.
He also lauded the collective and compassionate response of the Pakistani people during calamities, describing it as an integral part of the country’s proud national character.
The prime minister commended the efforts of institutions involved in disaster response, including the armed forces, rescue services and national and international humanitarian partners.
He said the government, through the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), was working to integrate advanced technologies into institutional disaster response, including more efficient early warning systems supported by reliable, data-based analytics.
“Today, resilience is no longer a choice, it is imperative,” the prime minister said, stressing that the increasing frequency and severity of climate change-induced disasters required climate resilience to be placed at the heart of national development priorities.
He called for climate-resilient development to be mainstreamed across public infrastructure, water and food security, urban planning, agriculture, livelihoods and development investments.
He said particular attention was being given to vulnerable communities and populations living in high-risk areas, with the government’s focus on anticipating risks before they turned into disasters, minimizing losses, protecting lives and livelihoods, and ensuring faster and more effective recovery and reconstruction.
The prime minister highlighted the growing use of climate information, satellite technology, geospatial data and scientific risk assessments to improve the country’s capacity to anticipate emerging risks, support timely decision-making and trigger early action.
He said these measures would help reduce the impact of disasters on lives, livelihoods and critical infrastructure.
On National Resilience Day 2026, the prime minister reaffirmed the government’s resolve to shift “from reaction to anticipation, from vulnerability to preparedness, and from recovery to resilient development” to ensure a safer and more climate-resilient Pakistan.
“May Allah bless our sincere national resolve and intent. Pakistan Paindabad,” he concluded.
