Floods, rains and heatwaves in Pakistan: Over 300m early warnings issued digitally

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has delivered more than 300 million early warnings on floods, rains, and heatwaves through a new digital system developed under a partnership between the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Jazz.

Officials say the system, launched earlier this year, is becoming a backbone of the country’s disaster preparedness strategy.

The Early Warning System, designed to rapidly disseminate alerts during emergencies, has significantly improved NDMA’s ability to timely reach the vulnerable population with life-saving information. Communities in remote and disaster-prone regions are now receiving advisories on extreme weather events hours in advance, giving them crucial time to prepare and respond.

The progress was highlighted on Friday during a meeting between NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik and industry leaders, including Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz, and Kaan Terzioglu, CEO of VEON Group.

The discussion focused on expanding technology-driven solutions – from predictive AI models to resilient communication networks – to strengthen Pakistan’s disaster resilience.

Aamir Ibrahim said the scale of early warning dissemination underscores how technology can save lives. “As Pakistan faces growing climate and disaster risks, our role goes beyond connectivity,” he said. “Through collaboration with NDMA, we are ensuring that life-saving information reaches citizens on time, networks remain resilient during crises, and communities are better prepared to withstand challenges.”

“Beyond early warnings, Jazz has become a critical infrastructure partner for NDMA during emergencies, keeping communications intact when disasters strike,” Aamir informed.

It was revealed that the company is also supporting flood relief operations by distributing food and medical supplies, while Jazz, JazzCash, and Mobilink Bank collectively pledged PKR 100 million for recovery and rehabilitation in flood-hit areas, a mix of immediate humanitarian relief and long-term support to restore livelihoods.

Analysts note that Pakistan ranks among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, making robust early warning systems indispensable. By combining NDMA’s disaster management expertise with Jazz’s nationwide digital infrastructure, the partnership is being viewed as a model for how technology and governance can align to protect lives and livelihoods in the face of mounting climate threats.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025