The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has launched Pakistan’s first sub-national Disaster Risk Reduction Policy, aimed at shifting the focus from responding to disasters after they occur to preparedness, early warning and risk reduction before natural disasters strike.

The policy was formally launched at a ceremony held at the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar. Developed with the support of the German government, the policy seeks to make Khyber Pakhtunkhwa safer, climate-resilient and better prepared for natural hazards.

Speaking at the ceremony, Provincial Information Minister Shafi Jan represented the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said the province was now moving beyond a disaster management approach limited to relief, rescue and rehabilitation after disasters, towards preparedness and preventive measures before disasters occur.

According to Shafi Jan, a modern and proactive disaster management system will be introduced in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the policy, while natural hazards will be considered from the outset in development planning.

He said that simply receiving information about a hazard was not enough; the real success lay in ensuring that timely warnings reached people at risk. Early warnings and advance measures could significantly reduce the loss of human lives and property.

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The provincial information minister said rapid population growth and unplanned construction were increasing the risks associated with natural disasters. Therefore, natural hazards would be incorporated into development planning through risk-informed development.

He further said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would adopt modern technology and internationally recognised techniques in disaster management to make the province more resilient to disasters.

Dr. Miriam, Head of Cooperation at the German Embassy, appreciated the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s leadership and commitment to disaster risk reduction. She said the policy aimed not merely to improve responses after disasters but to reduce their potential risks and impacts in advance.

She said the policy would provide a coordinated framework for different institutions to work in the same direction. However, she added that its real test would be effective implementation.

Dr. Miriam assured that Germany would continue to support the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in implementing the Disaster Risk Reduction Policy.