President, PM reiterate commitment to enhance disaster management system capacity

Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in their separate messages on National Resilience Day being observed on Saturday have reiterated that government is committed to capacity enhancement of disaster management system undertaking necessary legislation and other measures.
President Dr Arif Alvi in his message said the 8th day of every October reminds us of the devastating earthquake of 2005 that wreaked havoc in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad.
He said we commemorate this occasion with a mission and commitment to advance national preparedness by improving and increasing the nation’s resilience to disasters.
The Prime Minister in his message said over the years Pakistan has witnessed multiple natural disasters in the form of earthquakes, floods, cloud bursts, unprecedented rainfalls and severe heat waves and forest fires which caused loss of precious lives.
He said it is incumbent upon the international community to help Pakistan in rehabilitation and reconstruction for millions of flood-affected people, and also to play a judicious role to improve resilience and adaptability of the Pakistani nation.
Meanwhile, on his Twitter handle, the prime minister said that the massive loss of life, the people suffered continued to sadden them on this day. “May the departed souls rest in eternal peace! Ameen” the prime minister prayed for the people who lost in the gigantic quake that shook parts of the country on that unfortunate day.
On October 8, 2005, a magnitude of 7.6 earthquake adversely struck Azad Kashmir and different parts of Pakistan. More than 80,000 people were estimated to have perished in the natural calamity, while about 4 million others were left homeless, with hundreds of buildings left in rubble.