ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday his country was looking forward to getting an early warning system from Switzerland that could help Islamabad mitigate losses from natural disasters, Pakistani state media reported, as fresh monsoon rains in the country claimed more than 50 lives.
The statement by the Pakistan prime minister came at a meeting with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis in Bhurban hill station, wherein the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the promotion of cooperation in the field of disaster management.
The development came a day after Pakistani authorities said the death toll from two weeks of monsoon rains had risen to at least 55, following the death of 12 people, including eight children, in weather-related incidents amid fears of flash floods.
The rains have returned to Pakistan a year after the climate-induced downpour swelled rivers and inundated at one point one-third of Pakistan, killing 1,739 people. The floods also caused $30 billion in damage in cash-strapped Pakistan in 2022.
“Pakistan looks forward to cooperation from Switzerland in getting advance warning system and other facets which secure Pakistan as much as possible from the natural disasters,” Sharif was quoted as saying by the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster.
In this photo visiting Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis (left) and head of Pakistan's disaster management authority, Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik (right) signs Memorandum of Understanding, at the Nathia Gali resort, located some 85 kilometers from Islamabad on June 8, 2023. (Photo courtesy: Twitter/sherryrehman)
The prime minister pointed out that Pakistan had almost no contribution to the climate change. Pakistan is among the top 10 countries most affected by climate change, experts say, while the country’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions is less than 1 percent.
In his remarks, Foreign Minister Cassis said disaster risk management goes beyond borders and nationalities.
“It is a global responsibility that requires unity and collective action,” he said. “Pakistan and Switzerland will work hand in hand to raise awareness and protect the lives and livelihoods of our peoples.”
Cassis said the MoU signed by the two sides was a vital step in strengthening collaborative efforts against climate change.
“Pakistan is a country with rich cultural heritage and beautiful landscape but unfortunately it has been grappling with the devastating effects of natural disasters,” he said.
“It is a stark reminder of the urgent need for international cooperation to mitigate and manage the risks associated with catastrophes.”
The Swiss foreign minister said his country was ready to support Pakistan in this regard.
