Commissioner Malakand Division Shahidullah Khan presided over a meeting on Thursday to review the preparations for monsoon rains during the summer by the district administration and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). The meeting was held at the Commissioner’s Office Saidu Sharif wherein Secretary to Commissioner Malakand Muhammad Ali Khan and Reporting Officer PDMA Malakand Division Salman Ahmed participated while administrative and relief officers from the districts of Malakand Division joined through a video link.
At the meeting, pre-planning, preparations of teams and resources, and issues were reviewed to deal with any unexpected situation arising from monsoon rains and snow or glacier melting during the summer. Addressing the participants, the commissioner said that in case of any sudden calamity, the people look towards the institutions, adding that only good planning helps the institutions to play a better role in such a situation.
He issued orders to PDMA and district administration and other departments concerned to plan vigorously in that regard. Shahidullah Khan said that plans based on actual data should be sent to the relevant forums to ensure the availability of resources. He noted that climate change was a “big problem for Pakistan”, and institutions had to work under a proactive plan to reduce its negative impacts.
The commissioner said that people should avoid spreading false and unverified rumors during any emergency situation and the relevant district administration should formulate a comprehensive plan in that regard. He stressed that the people should only accept trusted information provided by the institutions concerned.
