Islamabad, October 8, 2026 – The Europe Today: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday paid heartfelt tribute to the victims of the devastating October 8, 2005 earthquake and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening disaster preparedness and building a climate-resilient Pakistan.
In his message on the 21st National Resilience Day, the prime minister said the nation continued to mourn the precious lives lost in the unprecedented earthquake while remembering the courage, compassion and collective spirit demonstrated by the people during the tragedy.
He said Pakistan was among the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change despite making a minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions.
“Recurring natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, landslides, forest fires, pandemics and smog test our resolve and cost dearly on our meager resources,” he observed.
The prime minister said Pakistan’s repeated experience of natural disasters had become a “saga of resilience,” with the nation standing firm in the face of every challenge and remaining committed to learning from past experiences to improve preparedness and response mechanisms.
He stressed the need for greater coordination among provincial governments, relevant state institutions, the private sector and civil society to strengthen the country’s capacity to respond effectively to future disasters.
Prime Minister Shehbaz also praised the collective and compassionate response of the Pakistani people during times of calamity, describing it as an integral part of the nation’s proud character.
He commended the contributions of institutions engaged in disaster management and response, including the armed forces, rescue services and national and international humanitarian partners.
The prime minister said the government, through the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), was working to integrate advanced technologies into institutional disaster response, including more efficient early warning systems supported by reliable, data-driven analytics.
“Today, resilience is no longer a choice, it is imperative,” he said, emphasizing that the increasing frequency and intensity of climate change-induced disasters required climate resilience to be placed at the center of national development priorities.
He called for mainstreaming climate-resilient development across public infrastructure, water and food security, urban planning, agriculture, livelihoods and development investments.
The prime minister said particular attention was being given to vulnerable communities and populations residing in high-risk areas. The government, he added, was focusing on anticipating risks before they developed into disasters, minimizing losses, protecting lives and livelihoods, and ensuring faster and more effective recovery and reconstruction.
He highlighted the growing use of climate information, satellite technology, geospatial data and scientific risk assessments to enhance Pakistan’s ability to anticipate emerging threats, facilitate timely decision-making and trigger early action.
These measures, he said, would help minimize the impact of disasters on human lives, livelihoods and critical infrastructure.
On National Resilience Day 2026, Prime Minister Shehbaz reaffirmed the government’s resolve to move “from reaction to anticipation, from vulnerability to preparedness, and from recovery to resilient development” in order to build a safer and more climate-resilient Pakistan.
“May Allah bless our sincere national resolve and intent. Pakistan Paindabad,” he concluded.
