Director General PDMA
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a land of mountains and rivers, of valleys rich with history and people strong in spirit. Yet our beloved province has endured trials that have tested its very soul.
In 2005, the earth shook with devastating force. In 2010 and again in 2022, floods swept across the land, drowning homes and hopes. The Swat crisis displaced thousands of families, while in 2015, Chitral was battered by glacial outbursts, flash floods, and another earthquake. Most recently, on August 15, 2025, devastating flash floods and cloudbursts struck Swat, Buner, Bajaur and Swabi. These sudden torrents swept away homes and livelihoods, damaged schools and infrastructure, and claimed precious lives—reminding us once again of the urgent need to prepare for the unexpected.
Beyond these individual tragedies lies a greater challenge—climate change. It is altering weather patterns, melting glaciers, intensifying monsoons, and amplifying the frequency and severity of disasters across our province. For Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, climate change is not a distant threat; it is a daily reality reshaping our valleys, rivers, and lives.
Recognizing this, the Provincial Government has placed climate resilience at the heart of its disaster management and development agenda. Through adaptation plans that focus on sustainable land use, improved early warning systems, climate-resilient infrastructure, and community-based preparedness, we are working to safeguard both lives and livelihoods. Our approach is not just to rebuild what is lost, but to rebuild stronger, smarter, and safer.
But what did we see in the aftermath of every disaster? We saw resilience. We saw communities rising from the ruins, refusing to bow to despair. Like the mountains that guard this province, our people stood firm.
At every step, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, with the na support of government and international partners, has been by their side—providing relief, restoring dignity, and rebuilding hope. But our mission goes beyond recovery. It is to prepare, to adapt, and to protect against the storms of tomorrow.
Guided by the Hyogo and Sendai Frameworks and our own Disaster Management Road Map, PDMA works not only to respond to disaster but to reduce risk, strengthen resilience, and secure sustainable development for generations to come.
Our journey is not ours alone. It is shared with partners, communities, and all those who believe that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa deserve not just survival—but safety, strength, and a brighter future.
Thank you.