Messages
Minister Message
Taj Muhammad Afridi
Minister for Relief Rehabilitation & Settlement Department
Effective and efficient Disaster Management is of vital importance to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one of the most disaster-prone areas in this region. Natural and man-made disasters including earthquakes, floods, droughts, landslides, fires, industrial accidents, displacements and complex humanitarian emergencies, have caused great misery and suffering in our province in recent years.
Climate change and shifts in monsoon patterns are posing new challenges for our province causing damage in areas not previously affected. The indications are that extreme events will occur with greater frequency and intensity in the future and we must be prepared for all eventualities.
The development and implementation of effective strategies to counter the impacts of disasters and climate change is imperative. We must ensure that disaster risk reduction (DRR), preparedness, development of adequate disaster response mechanisms, and climate change adaptation receive priority attention in all planning and development. Further, the comprehensive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Disaster Road Map (2014-2019) must be implemented in full if we are to be successful in reducing the risks posed by disasters and the massive human and economic cost. These initiatives have my full support and the provincial government is fully committed to realizing our vision of a Disaster Resilient Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. We welcome and appreciate the valuable support of our many stakeholders and partners who have stood with us in the many challenging times we have faced, and in moving forward.
The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities of the PDMA are aligned to the Hyogo and Sendai Frameworks, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Disaster Management Road Map (2014-2019) which was developed to strategically plan the DRR needs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The support of all stakeholders and partners has been of great assistance to the province and we look forward to continued support to assist us in achieving our goals.
Secretary Relief Message
Abdul Basit
Secretary Relief Message
The Relief Rehabilitation and Settlement Department (RRSD) is mandated to formulate Policies, Strategies and Guidelines for Relief, Rehabilitation and Emergency activities in the Province. Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Rescue 1122 and Directorate of Civil Defence serve as implementation agencies of RRSD to effect these instruments.
The Provincial Government attaches due value to human lives and well-being. Therefore, it considers RRSD as one of the priority Departments which operates not only to save human lives in events of disaster but also ensures human well being through rehabilitation and resettlement. RRSD and its attached formations are equipped with state-of-the-art physical facilities and finest human resource to discharge their mandate.
RRSD has displayed tremendous capacity of evolving overtime to respond to changing nature of disaster. This is why when locust swarms entered the Province in January, 2020 or emergency arose due to outbreak of COVID – 19 pandemic, RRSD swiftly rose to the occasion to manage situation.
We pray to Allah that RRSD continues to maintain its high standards of operational capabilities so that the prime objective of the Provincial Government i.e. security and well-being of people of the Province is ensured in the days to come.
Director General Message
Janat Gul Afridi
Director General Message
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is vulnerable to many natural and man-made hazards including complex emergencies. During the last decade this province faced several major disasters including a devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake in 2005, and massive floods in 2010 & 2022 affecting the entire province. We also coped with complex emergencies with huge numbers of displaced persons like the Swat crisis.
In 2015, we suffered further disasters with glacial lake outburst and flash floods in Chitral District and an earthquake which again affected Chitral as well as other northern areas of the province.These calamities have had a severe impact on life, livelihoods, crops, and livestock, creating great hardship for the affected communities. Schools, health facilities, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure have also been damaged or destroyed.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) – with support from government and international partners – is responsible for relief and rehabilitation of the population affected by all disasters. PDMA also has the lead responsibility to address the future challenges presented by disasters and climate change. PDMA’s vision is to achieve sustainable social and economic development by reducing risks and vulnerabilities from all types of natural hazards. We are totally committed to work with communities to build their resilience against future disasters.
The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities of the PDMA are aligned to the Hyogo and Sendai Frameworks, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Disaster Management Road Map (2014-2019) which was developed to strategically plan the DRR needs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the focus on Monsoon Contingency Plan of the Province. The support of all stakeholders and partners has been of great assistance to the province and we look forward to continued support to assist us in achieving our goals.