Pakistan’s national and provincial authorities, alongside United Nations agencies, today concluded a critical two-day simulation exercise designed to test the country”s coordinated response to complex, large-scale emergencies, including earthquakes and widespread flooding.
The Joint PAK-UN Multi-Hazard Simulation Exercise (SimEx), which ran from December 3-4 at the National Emergencies Operation Centre, aimed to evaluate and enhance the nation”s capacity for a unified response during major crises. The drills focused on assessing decision-making processes, interoperability between different agencies, information management, and strategic resource allocation.
Over 130 participants from across the country, including representatives from federal ministries, provincial and district bodies, humanitarian organizations, academic institutions, and the media, took part in the event. Delegates from Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the Federal Government were organized into six specialized working groups.
These groups grappled with evolving tabletop scenarios that simulated a range of severe threats, such as major earthquake impacts, extensive monsoon flooding, glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) events in high-altitude areas, and winter-related blockades in mountainous districts. The participants utilized NDMA-developed response matrices and planning tools to present synchronized response frameworks.
The activity successfully bolstered inter-agency collaboration and provided greater operational clarity for field-level departments. Key areas of improvement included protocols for resource allocation, clarification of roles and responsibilities, early warning dissemination, emergency logistics, and humanitarian relief delivery during complex, cascading disasters.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reaffirmed that such preparedness drills will remain a core component of Pakistan”s national strategy, ensuring all government levels and humanitarian partners can respond swiftly and effectively. The authority extended its appreciation to the UN, FCDO, and all participating governmental and non-governmental organizations for their active engagement in strengthening a unified national response system.