President, PM vow to boost disaster risk reduction capacity

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have reaffirmed the government's vision to strengthen national capacity of disaster risk reduction and protecting vulnerable segments of society, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

In their separate statements on the occasion of National Resilience Day being observed on Wednesday, they paid tribute to the whole nation for recovering from the devastating earthquake of October 8, 2005 with courage and unity.  

The President said over the years, Pakistan's disaster management framework has made important strides with a state-of-the-art National Emergencies Operation Center, harnessing advanced technology for early warning and risk assessment.

The Prime Minister said we have learnt to mobilize all national resources through all out support of provincial governments, armed forces, rescue services, humanitarian partners, private sector and civil society.

He urged all citizens, from urban centers to rural villages, to participate in disaster preparedness initiatives.

Reporter Awais Kiyani