Dec 4, 2015: Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to disasters whether from climate change or because of earthquakes. Both types of disasters affected Chitral recently, the July flash floods, and the October earthquake that affected many parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan. To better understand the effects on people and development from the floods and the earthquake, and to assess the needs for reconstruction efforts, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Pakistan, Neil Buhne, and the head of the Aga Khan Foundation in Pakistan, Akhtar Iqbal, visited Chitral district today.
Neil Buhne said, “Pakistan’s vulnerability to both natural hazards and climate change has the potential to damage and delay development in the country. However with good preparedness, planning and mitigation measures, we can at least limit the loss of human life and development. This visit today highlights the importance of government efforts to provide relief to the vulnerable people most affected, and also the significance of quickly following up with comprehensive reconstruction done together with the local communities.”
Source: UNDP in Pakistan
Ismailimail 