Pakistan

MHEWC intends to support the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan

To,

The Director General, The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan

Subject: Proposal for Technical Cooperation and Partnership to Strengthen Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems, Disaster Risk Governance, and Emergency Management Capacities in Pakistan

Dear Sir,

Greetings from the Multi-Hazard Early Warning System Development and Implementation Center (MHEWC).

MHEWC is a specialized technical knowledge and solutions platform dedicated to strengthening climate and multi-hazard risk governance, disaster risk management, and the design and operationalization of integrated, end-to-end, people-centered early warning systems. Our technical expertise encompasses institutional capacity assessments, hydro-meteorological observation and monitoring networks, geospatial risk intelligence, ICT- and AI-enabled Decision Support Systems (DSS), impact-based forecasting, anticipatory action, and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery management.

Recognizing the critical importance of strengthening the national disaster risk management capabilities, MHEWC would welcome the opportunity to establish technical cooperation and a strategic working partnership with the NDMA.

In collaboration with NDMA’s relevant national hydro-meteorological institutions, sectoral ministries, local authorities, and other stakeholders, MHEWC is prepared to provide specialized technical assistance in the following priority areas:

1) Assessment and Modernization of Hydro-Meteorological Observation and Monitoring Networks

Conduct comprehensive technical diagnostics of existing hydro-meteorological observation stations and monitoring infrastructure, identify institutional and technological gaps, and develop a phased modernization and investment plan. This may include the technical design, installation, calibration, and integration of Automated Weather Stations (AWS), Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and real-time environmental and hazard-monitoring technologies to strengthen the detection, tracking, and forecasting of potentially hazardous conditions.

2) Strengthening Integrated Multi-Hazard Monitoring and Early Warning Capacities

Assess existing monitoring, observation, forecasting, and early warning capabilities and support NDMA and relevant national meteorological and hydrological services in upgrading and integrating observation networks. This includes hybrid weather and hazard-monitoring systems, interoperable sensor networks, real-time data acquisition and transmission, and automated data ingestion into operational Decision Support Systems for multi-hazard monitoring, forecasting, and warning dissemination.

3) Modernization and Operationalization of the National Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

Undertake a comprehensive technical and institutional assessment of existing Emergency Operations Center facilities, operational procedures, communication systems, and information management infrastructure. Based on the findings, develop an EOC modernization roadmap and support the technical design, upgrading, and operationalization of an integrated National Emergency Operations Center and Situation Room.

The proposed EOC architecture would incorporate real-time hydro-meteorological observations, IoT-enabled monitoring networks, geospatial risk information, automated hazard tracking, impact-based forecasting, early warning dissemination, anticipatory action advisories, and coordinated emergency response management.

4) Development of ICT- and AI-Enabled Emergency Management and Decision Support Applications

Design and develop customized ICT- and AI-enabled applications to support automated hazard identification, real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, impact forecasting, emergency information management, and operational decision-making.

These solutions may include automated data processing, geospatial visualization, scenario-based impact analysis, threshold-based alert generation, emergency resource tracking, incident management, and decision-support workflows. AI-assisted outputs would be subject to appropriate technical validation and oversight by authorized national institutions.

5) Transformation of NDMC’s Web Portal into an Integrated Geospatial Decision Support Platform

Provide technical assistance to assess and upgrade NDMA’s existing web-based information systems into an integrated, geospatial, database-driven, and application-enabled Disaster Risk Information and Decision Support System (DRI-DSS).

The platform would support real-time hazard monitoring, climate and multi-hazard risk information management, institutional coordination, preparedness planning, anticipatory action, emergency response, recovery management, and evidence-based decision-making across national and subnational administrative levels.

6) Development of National Climate and Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment Frameworks and Risk Information Repositories

Develop standardized methodologies, analytical frameworks, technical tools, and operational guidelines for conducting climate and multi-hazard risk and vulnerability assessments.

Technical assistance would include the preparation of GIS-based hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and risk maps; multi-sectoral risk profiles; climate and disaster risk scenarios; and the establishment of a centralized, interoperable national risk information repository and geospatial database management system.

7) Design and Operationalization of End-to-End, People-Centered Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems

Support NDMA and relevant technical institutions in designing and implementing integrated, end-to-end Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS), aligned with the four pillars of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative.

Priority interventions may include:

Hazard detection, monitoring, weather nowcasting, and forecasting services.
Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF) and Impact-Based Warning (IBW) systems.
Forecast-Based Financing (FbF) and anticipatory action mechanisms.
Development of hazard-specific triggers, Early Action Protocols (EAPs), and anticipatory response plans.
Common Alerting Protocol (CAP)-enabled warning generation and dissemination.
DSS-supported emergency preparedness, contingency planning, and response management.
Development of operational guidelines, Standing Orders on Disaster, and institutional Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Strengthening last-mile warning communication, community preparedness, and coordinated early action.\

8) Integration of Climate and Disaster Risk Intelligence into Sectoral and Local Development Planning

Develop GIS-enabled databases, digital planning tools, and sector-specific risk information systems to support national ministries, government departments, municipalities, and local authorities in integrating climate and disaster risk considerations into development planning, public investment, and budgeting processes.

Technical assistance would focus on strengthening Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), Locally Led Adaptation (LLA), resilient infrastructure planning, and climate-informed sectoral investment strategies.

9) Review and Strengthening of Multi-Hazard Preparedness, Emergency Response, and Recovery Plans

Review existing disaster preparedness, emergency response, contingency, and recovery plans at national, regional, municipal, and sectoral levels.

Support the development and upgrading of hazard-specific and multi-hazard operational plans, institutional coordination mechanisms, emergency communication protocols, resource mobilization procedures, and risk-informed recovery strategies consistent with NDMA’s mandate and national disaster management priorities.

10) Strengthening National-to-Local Disaster Risk Governance and Institutional Capacities

Provide specialized technical assistance to strengthen the institutional, regulatory, organizational, and operational foundations of disaster risk governance.

This may include institutional assessments, capacity development, stakeholder coordination frameworks, interagency information-sharing protocols, technical training, knowledge transfer, and the preparation of phased, costed implementation roadmaps to improve national and local emergency management capabilities.

11) Technical Support to Climate Change, Meteorological, Hydrological, and Disaster Management Institutions

Provide targeted technical support to NDMA, relevant climate change institutions, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS), and other designated government agencies to strengthen climate information services, weather and climate monitoring, multi-hazard risk assessments, forecasting, early warning operations, climate resilience planning, and institutional technical capacities.

Such cooperation would be tailored to institutional requirements, existing technical infrastructure, priority hazards, and national development objectives.

Proposed Way Forward

MHEWC proposes initiating the cooperation through a joint technical consultation with NDMA to identify priority institutional and technological needs, review existing capacities, and determine potential areas for collaboration.

Based on NDMA’s priorities, we would welcome the opportunity to conduct an initial technical scoping and institutional capacity assessment, followed by preparing a practical, phased, costed technical cooperation and implementation roadmap.

Our approach emphasizes national ownership, technology transfer, institutional sustainability, interoperability, and the development of operational systems that connect hazard observation and risk intelligence with timely warnings, informed decisions, and effective anticipatory action.

We would be pleased to arrange a virtual meeting with your technical and management teams at a mutually convenient time to discuss potential collaboration and identify immediate opportunities for technical support.

We look forward to your favorable consideration and the opportunity to contribute to strengthening national disaster risk governance, multi-hazard early warning, and emergency management systems.

Yours sincerely,

Z M Sajjadul Islam
Director & Advisor
Multi-Hazard Early Warning System Development and Implementation Center (MHEWC)

Website: https://www.mhewc.org/brunei http://www.glocs.org

Email: zmsajjad@gmail.com | sajjad@mhewc.org
Phone & WhatsApp: +88 01711 979179

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Climate risk and vulnerabilities of Pakistan

Pakistan is highly vulnerable to climate change and multi-hazard risks because of its exposure to the Indus River system, monsoon variability, arid and semi-arid zones, rapidly warming mountain regions, glacier-fed river basins, long Arabian Sea coastline, high dependence on irrigated and rainfed agriculture, rapid urbanization, water scarcity, poverty, and climate-sensitive livelihoods. Its major hazards include riverine floods, flash floods, urban flooding, glacial lake outburst floods, heatwaves, drought, water scarcity, landslides, cyclones, storm surge, sea-level rise, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, crop failure, livestock losses, food insecurity, waterborne disease risks, infrastructure damage, and displacement. Pakistan’s National Adaptation Plan states that the country ranks among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries and is already experiencing rising temperatures, more frequent and intense precipitation extremes, floods and droughts, glacier recession, and sea-level rise threats to coastal areas.

Pakistan is highly exposed and vulnerable to climate change and multi-hazard risks due to its dependence on the Indus River system, glacier-fed water resources, monsoon variability, arid and semi-arid regions, long Arabian Sea coastline, rapid urbanization, water scarcity, poverty, and strong reliance on climate-sensitive agriculture, livestock, fisheries and informal livelihoods. The country faces major risks from riverine floods, flash floods, urban flooding, glacial lake outburst floods, drought, water scarcity, heatwaves, erratic monsoon rainfall, landslides, cyclones, storm surge, sea-level rise, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, crop failure, livestock losses, food insecurity, disease outbreaks, infrastructure disruption and large-scale displacement. Climate change is expected to intensify these vulnerabilities through higher temperatures, more severe heatwaves, altered monsoon patterns, increased flood and drought extremes, accelerating glacier and snow melt, saline intrusion in coastal areas, declining water security, reduced agricultural productivity, worsening public-health risks and growing pressure on livelihoods, infrastructure and vulnerable rural, mountain, coastal and urban communities. Strengthening multi-hazard early warning systems, impact-based forecasting, flood forecasting, GLOF monitoring, drought early warning, heat-health action plans, climate-resilient agriculture, water-security planning, resilient infrastructure, coastal protection, WASH resilience, disaster risk financing and anticipatory action is essential to reduce losses and protect Pakistan’s development gains.

1. Multi-hazard exposure

Pakistan’s risk profile combines hydrometeorological, cryospheric, geophysical, coastal, and environmental hazards. Major hazards include monsoon floods, flash floods, droughts, heatwaves, landslides, GLOFs, earthquakes, cyclones, coastal flooding, salinity intrusion, desertification, forest fires, and climate-sensitive disease outbreaks. Pakistan’s National Adaptation Plan notes projected changes in the Indus River’s seasonal flow and increased formation and outburst of glacial lakes, confirming the importance of both water-system and mountain cryosphere risks. (UNFCCC)

The 2022 floods showed the scale of national exposure. The PDNA reported that about 33 million people were affected, nearly 8 million people were displaced, and more than 1,700 people died. Total damage was estimated at US$14.9 billion, losses at US$15.2 billion, and recovery and reconstruction needs at US$16.3 billion.

2. Climate change as a risk multiplier

Climate change is amplifying Pakistan’s existing hazard profile through higher temperatures, more frequent heat extremes, intense monsoon rainfall, glacier and snowpack changes, drought stress, sea-level rise, water insecurity, and ecosystem degradation. The CCDR frames Pakistan’s climate challenge as both a development and poverty-reduction challenge, stressing that climate risks affect lives, livelihoods, jobs, poverty, and distributional outcomes. (Open Knowledge Repository)

This creates cascading risk: extreme heat can reduce labour productivity and crop yields; glacier melt can temporarily increase river flows and GLOF hazards; intense monsoon rainfall can generate riverine, flash, and urban flooding; drought can reduce crop and livestock productivity; and water stress can affect agriculture, hydropower, drinking water, sanitation, health, and urban systems.

3. Flood, GLOF, and landslide vulnerability

Flooding is Pakistan’s most damaging recurrent hazard. Riverine flooding affects the Indus and its tributaries, flash floods affect hill torrents and steep catchments, and urban flooding affects major cities where drainage systems are overwhelmed by intense rainfall. The 2022 floods damaged housing, agriculture, livestock, transport, communications, irrigation, WASH systems, education, health, livelihoods, and public services across 94 calamity-hit districts.

Northern Pakistan, especially Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, faces increasing risks from GLOFs, landslides, avalanches, snowmelt variability, and slope instability. These hazards threaten mountain communities, roads, bridges, hydropower assets, irrigation channels, tourism infrastructure, and downstream settlements.

4. Drought, heatwaves, and water insecurity

Drought and heat are major threats in Sindh, Balochistan, southern Punjab, Tharparkar, Cholistan, and other arid or semi-arid regions. Rising temperatures increase evapotranspiration, water demand, crop stress, livestock mortality, heat-related illness, and electricity demand for cooling.

Water security is Pakistan’s central climate-development challenge. The country depends heavily on the Indus Basin irrigation system, while climate change affects glacier melt, snowpack, monsoon timing, drought frequency, groundwater recharge, and flood variability. Water scarcity directly affects agriculture, hydropower, cities, ecosystems, sanitation, and rural livelihoods.

5. Agriculture, food security, and rural livelihoods

Agriculture is one of Pakistan’s most climate-sensitive sectors. The 2022 floods caused severe damage and losses to agriculture, food, livestock, and fisheries; the PDNA estimated US$3.7 billion in damages and US$9.2 billion in losses in that sector, with crops contributing most of the damage and losses.

Sub-sector	Main climate and hazard risks
Rice, wheat, cotton, sugarcane, maize	Floods, drought, heat stress, pests, crop-calendar disruption
Livestock	Heat stress, water scarcity, fodder shortage, disease, flood-related mortality
Irrigated agriculture	Canal damage, waterlogging, salinity, sedimentation, water competition
Rainfed agriculture	Drought, delayed rains, dry spells, crop failure
Fisheries and aquaculture	Flood damage, water-quality decline, heat stress, coastal ecosystem change
Rural labour	Lost workdays, income shocks, debt, migration pressure

6. Coastal, urban, and infrastructure vulnerability

Pakistan’s coastal belt, especially Karachi, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, and Gwadar, is exposed to sea-level rise, storm surge, cyclones, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, and mangrove degradation. These risks threaten ports, fisheries, coastal agriculture, drinking-water systems, informal settlements, tourism, and industrial zones.

Urban areas such as Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Hyderabad, Multan, Faisalabad, and Sukkur face growing risks from urban flooding, heat stress, air pollution, poor drainage, water scarcity, informal settlement exposure, and infrastructure overload. The PDNA found major flood damage to transport, communications, WASH, municipal services, community infrastructure, irrigation systems, and flood-protection assets.

7. Health and social vulnerability

Climate change affects public health through heat stress, unsafe water, diarrhoeal disease, malaria, dengue, malnutrition, respiratory stress, flood-related injuries, and mental-health impacts after disasters. Vulnerability is highest among poor rural households, smallholder farmers, landless labourers, informal urban settlers, women-headed households, children, older persons, people with disabilities, pastoralists, coastal communities, and mountain communities exposed to GLOFs and landslides.

The National Adaptation Plan includes dedicated priorities for agriculture-water systems, natural capital, urban resilience, human capital, disaster risk management, gender, youth, and social inclusion, reflecting the need for integrated and socially inclusive adaptation. (UNFCCC)

8. Sector-specific vulnerability summary

Sector	Main climate and multi-hazard risks
Water resources	Glacier melt variability, drought, floods, groundwater stress, salinity, water-quality decline
Agriculture and food security	Floods, droughts, heat stress, pests, crop loss, livestock mortality
Mountain regions	GLOFs, landslides, avalanches, flash floods, slope instability
Urban settlements	Urban flooding, heatwaves, drainage failure, informal settlement exposure
Coastal zones	Sea-level rise, storm surge, cyclones, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion
Transport and infrastructure	Road washouts, bridge damage, slope failure, flood disruption, heat stress
Health	Heat illness, dengue, malaria, diarrhoeal disease, malnutrition, disaster trauma
Energy	Hydropower variability, heat-driven demand, flood damage, water constraints

9. Priority resilience needs

Pakistan’s resilience agenda should prioritize multi-hazard early warning systems, impact-based forecasting, flood forecasting, GLOF monitoring, drought early warning, heat-health action planning, climate-resilient agriculture, integrated water-resource management, resilient urban drainage, coastal protection, earthquake-safe infrastructure, disaster risk financing, and shock-responsive social protection.

Priority area	Key actions
Early warning and anticipatory action	Impact-based warnings for floods, heatwaves, droughts, GLOFs, landslides, cyclones, and disease outbreaks
Flood and GLOF risk management	Basin-scale forecasting, glacial lake monitoring, hill-torrent management, floodplain zoning
Water security	Groundwater regulation, water-use efficiency, reservoir and canal resilience, drought contingency planning
Climate-resilient agriculture	Heat-, drought-, flood-, and salinity-tolerant crops; agro-advisories; crop and livestock insurance
Urban resilience	Drainage upgrading, heat-risk planning, solid-waste management, resilient housing, risk-informed zoning
Coastal resilience	Mangrove restoration, coastal-risk mapping, salinity management, storm-surge preparedness
Risk financing	Contingency finance, forecast-based financing, insurance, scalable social protection, resilient recovery

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

Lead agency at the Federal level to deal with the whole spectrum of Disaster Management activities.It is the executive arm of the National Disaster Management Commission (NDMC) which has been established under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister as the apex policy making body in the field of Disaster Management. In the event of a disaster, all stakeholders including Government Ministries/Departments/Organizations, Armed Forces, INGOs, NGOs, UN Agencies work through and form part of the NDMA to conduct one window operations.

About NEOC

Welcome to the National Emergencies Operation Center, a pioneering initiative of the National Disaster Management Authority of Pakistan under the visionary leadership of Chairman NDMA, Lt. General Inam Haider Malik HI (M). Established with a strategic vision to shift from reactive to proactive disaster management, NEOC is as a beacon of innovation and preparedness. NEOC boasts state-of-the-art facilities that rival the best globally. Conceptualized and realized in an unprecedented time frame, this center highlights NDMA’s commitment to safeguarding lives and livelihoods in Pakistan.

Equipped with the latest tools and technologies, including real-time satellite feeds, NEOC has the capability to anticipate disasters up to three months in advance. Our multidisciplinary team of experts harnesses the power of GIS, Remote Sensing, Climatology, Meteorology, Seismology, Hydrology, and Data Sciences to monitor and analyze both global and local hazards. At NEOC, we leave no stone unturned to anticipate and mitigate disaster risks. From tracking global oceanic and atmospheric oscillations to assessing local hazards and their likely impacts, our team remains vigilant round the clock. By analyzing emerging patterns and trends, we stay one step ahead, ensuring timely interventions and effective response strategies.

Climate change poses unprecedented challenges to Pakistan’s vulnerability to disasters. NEOC is committed to addressing this threat by integrating climate change adaptation and DRR measures into our operations. By aligning with international frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Development Goals, we strive to build resilience and enhance preparedness at all levels. NEOC invites collaboration and partnerships with national and international stakeholders to bolster our efforts in disaster management and climate resilience. Together, we can build a safer, more resilient future for generations to come.

Explore NEOC and join us in our mission to protect and empower communities in the face of adversity!

DM Plans

National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy 2025 – 2030 Pakistan

Pakistan has long been vulnerable to a range of natural and human-induced disasters, including earthquakes, floods, droughts, and climate-related emerging hazards such as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), heatwaves, forest fires and shifting monsoon patterns. These disasters disrupt lives, undermine economic stability, and set back development progress. The National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy (NDRRS) 2025-2030 provides a comprehensive framework to mitigate these risks, enhance preparedness, and foster resilience through proactive planning, inclusive governance, and technological innovation.

Category: DRR Strategy

Monsoon Contingency Plan 2025

This document provides response guidelines for all disaster management stakeholders at National and Provincial / State levels for proactive and inclusive preparedness and effective response to any flood like situation as per contingencies based on Monsoon Seasonal Outlook 2025 and other likely emergencies in the country.

Category: Plans

NDMA – Summer Hazards Contingency Plan 2025

NDMA Summer Hazards Contingency Plan 2025 has been prepared in coordination with all disaster management stakeholders, both at federal and provincial levels based on analysis of seasonal outlook by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and relevant technical input from NDMA Tech Team. In this Plan, guidelines have been outlined for all disaster management tiers and relevant stakeholders for adopting a proactive approach towards all aspects of mitigation, preparations against the most probable and against possible worst-case scenarios to coordinate a timely response.

Category: Plans

Integrated National Search & Rescue (INSaR)

The concept Paper on Integrated National Search & Rescue (INSaR), highlights the area specific and contingency based search and rescue teams, embedded with local resource, humanitarian partner/ philanthropist with futuristic outlook, organized, trained, equipment and structured for an effective, efficient and timely response.

Category: Plans

NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN (NDMP) 2025

This Plan succeeds the recently expired National Disaster Management Plan,which made significant strides between 2012 and 2024. The new National DisasterManagement Plan 2025 will serve as a comprehensive framework that adopts a proactive approach. The Plan emphasizes enhancing coping capacities, capabilities and learningfrom past experiences to improve disaster preparedness and response mechanisms.

Category: Plans

National Resources And Risk Financing

Pakistan faces growing challenges from both climate-induced and natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, droughts, and cyclones. Despite these vulnerabilities, the country possesses vast untapped resources including natural, human, industrial, and institutional assets. If strategically mobilized, these resources can significantly enhance Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) efforts and foster long-term resilience. Addressing these challenges requires a whole-of-society approach aimed at transforming potential into preparedness.