Key points
- Pakistan to adopt Chinese expertise
- Flood relief aid dispatched nationwide
- China-Pakistan disaster labs expanding cooperation
- NDMA directed to support Punjab
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appreciated China’s use of modern technology and techniques to deal with natural calamities, saying that it will also prove to be very helpful in Pakistan.
He expressed these views during his visit to the National Facility for Earthquake Engineering Simulation of Tianjin University in China on Sunday, according to Radio Pakistan.
The prime minister expressed the confidence that, by benefiting from Chinese expertise, Pakistan will be able to take effective preventive measures and develop strategies to deal with natural disasters in the future.
The prime minister directed that projects such as the International Medical Centre and the China-Pakistan Joint Lab in Pakistan should be made more active, and the partnership between both countries should be further expanded to deal with natural disasters.
Additional relief supplies
Shehbaz Sharif said efforts are afoot at the national level to cope with the recent flood situation in Pakistan.
He said the convoys of additional relief supplies have been dispatched by the federal government for the flood-affected families in Narowal, Sialkot, Wazirabad, Hafizabad, Chiniot, and Jhang. He said the relief aid will be handed over to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.
In view of the flood situation in the country, the prime minister directed the NDMA to remain in touch with the Punjab government and provide full support to the provincial disaster management authorities.
The prime minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment that relief activities will continue for the flood-affected families.
Rescue technologies
During the visit, the prime minister was briefed on disaster management and rescue technologies, including newly developed medical rescue vehicles at the National Earthquake Simulation Center.
The prime minister was also briefed on the latest technology developed regarding precautionary measures for natural disasters.
The prime minister was informed that several projects are being executed with mutual cooperation of China and Pakistan in this regard.
The prime minister was informed that several projects already exist in this regard, and work is also underway on a number of projects with bilateral cooperation. These projects include the China-Pakistan Joint Lab for Disaster and Emergency Medicine, built under the Belt and Road Initiative, the International Medical Cooperation Center, and the China-Pakistan Friendship Hospital.
