Pakistani PM urges UN to provide early warning system

Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Thursday sought UN help for provision of early warning system to Pakistan to pre-empt the damages of any future natural disaster. Talking to Margareta Wahistrom, Special Representative of UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction in Islamabad, the Prime Minister said that the early warning system would help the government to reduce loss of human lives, property and infrastructure to a great deal, the PM office said. Wahistrom assured that the UN was ready to impart training to the officials of various institutions in Pakistan which can play an effective role in the control of disaster risk in case of natural calamity. She said that the UN would provide assistance in the raising awareness, capacity building including human and financial assistance, provision of sustainability of livelihoods in post disaster phase and rebuilding and rehabilitation. She further informed that the UN has already launched a flash appeal for US$357 million for the flood affected people of the southern Province of Sindh. The rains and floods have affected nearly 7 million people, the Pakistani officials said. The Special Representative on disaster risk reduction apprised the Prime Minister that the United Nations had identified 900 cities in the world of which 35 are from Pakistan for launching the projects to make them better prepared to disaster risk reduction. She said in this regard practical steps would soon be taken and Islamabad has been identified as first model city. The Prime Minister welcomed the UN assistance for better preparedness to face disasters that would definitely contribute to decrease risks to the lives and properties of the people, a PM office statement said. The Prime Minister welcomed the offer of the UN for training the school teachers, medics, met department officials and flood commission officials in the disaster risk reduction techniques to make them prepared for any future natural calamity.