Islamabad: President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, marked National Resilience Day by emphasizing the importance of learning from past disasters to enhance future preparedness. The day commemorates the lives lost in the earthquake of October 8, 2005, and honors the resilience of survivors and the aid extended by both national and international communities.

According to Pakistan Peoples Party, President Zardari expressed his gratitude to international partners, including Saudi Arabia, the United States, China, Turkey, Iran, Japan, and Cuba, for their support during the 2005 earthquake recovery efforts. He also commended national media, charitable organizations, and volunteers for their roles in disaster response, highlighting the collective strength demonstrated by Pakistanis in the face of adversity.

President Zardari noted that Pakistan continues to confront complex risks, exacerbated by climate change and urbanization. He emphasized the need for disaster resilience to be integral to national development, advocating for a shift from reactive to anticipatory strategies using scientific knowledge and emerging technologies.

He highlighted the role of Next Generation Technology at the National Disaster Management Authority, which includes advanced analytics, satellite technologies, predictive modeling, and artificial intelligence, in improving early warning systems and risk assessment. Additionally, the Global Resilience Hub was mentioned as a pivotal element for enhancing coordination among national and humanitarian stakeholders.

The president urged the integration of risk reduction into development planning, stressing the importance of building infrastructure with future risks in mind. He called for strengthened regional and global cooperation in early warning, scientific research, and technological innovation to fortify Pakistan's disaster preparedness.

President Zardari concluded by urging all institutions and citizens to view resilience as a shared national responsibility, advocating for a combination of human strength, scientific advancement, and strategic planning to prepare Pakistan for future uncertainties.