Pakistan: National disaster risk reduction policy

The National DRR Policy provides an overall guiding framework for addressing the high levels of disaster risk permeating Pakistani Society. It covers both natural and man-made hazards. The policy seeks to promote priority measures to ameliorate already existing vulnerability to hazards, and equally important measures to ensure future development processes and programs strengthen resilience. The policy serves as a guiding framework both for DRR and relevant development plans and programs to focus attention upon priority issues.

Pakistan is one of the signatories of the UN Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters. At the core of the HFA lies the integration of risk reduction as an essential component of national development policies and programs. The earthquake in 2005 highlighted Pakistan’s vulnerability to disaster risks and motivated a shift from the erstwhile response-focused to the current, more proactive approach. This shift found its first expression in the National Disaster Management Ordinance (NDMO, 2006, replaced in 2010 by the current National Disaster Management - NDM Act), followed up by the National Disaster Risk Management Framework (NDRMF) (2007-2012) that outlined a comprehensive national DRR agenda.

The policy is based upon an extensive review of existing background documentation including assessments, relevant frameworks, policies and plans. The building blocks of the current DRR policy reflect the priority actions of the HFA and are within the NDM Act 2010 that decentralized responsibilities for the implementation of DRR to the provincial and district level. The policy is based upon consultations with district, provincial and national government stakeholders as well as civil society actors and development partners.