Islamabad:On the directions of the national and military leadership, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) held the Pre-Monsoon Coordination Conference at the National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) here Wednesday.
The conference was organised to review national preparedness and coordination mechanisms in light of preliminary Disaster Early Warning (DEW-3) issued by NEOC for the upcoming monsoon from June to September 2026.
The conference focused on strengthening preparedness and coordinated response measures against potential monsoon related risks, including floods, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF), cloud burst, urban flooding, landslides, and other extreme weather events across the country.
Representatives from PDMAs, Pakistan Meteorological Department, rescue services, federal ministries, armed forces, NHA, WAPDA, line departments, district disaster management authorities, humanitarian partners and other stakeholders participated in the session.
The participants were briefed that the 2026 southwest monsoon is expected to exhibit strong regional contrasts, with rainfall likely concentrated over northern Pakistan and adjoining upper catchments, while plains and southern regions may experience suppressed rainfall, above-normal temperatures and recurring heat stress.
The northern region was identified as the highest compound-risk zone due to the potential overlap of intense rainfall, western disturbances, rising temperatures, accelerated snow and glacier melt, GLOF incidents, landslides and flash flooding.
NDMA Chairman Lt. Gen Inam Haider Malik emphasised the importance of timely dissemination of early warnings and public advisories to ensure communities remain informed and prepared ahead of any emergency situation.
He highlighted the need for robust coordination among all stakeholders for proactive preparedness and response measures during the monsoon season. The NDMA chairman stressed the activation and engagement of local NGOs, community volunteers and civil society organisations at the grassroots level to enhance community-based preparedness and response capacity.
He underlined the importance of conducting comprehensive assessments of available resources, rescue equipment, logistics support and emergency response capabilities across vulnerable areas.
The conference also reviewed contingency planning, evacuation mechanisms, identification of safe locations for relief camps, uninterrupted communication arrangements and measures to ensure the safety of tourists visiting northern areas during the monsoon season.
Participants discussed coordinated strategies for the protection of critical infrastructure, public awareness campaigns and maintaining smooth inter-agency communication throughout the high-risk period.
