April 08, 2007	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 19, 1428

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ISLAMABAD, April 7: A national disaster response force will be established in the country to ensure specialist response to a calamity or threatening disaster situation. An institute of disaster management — responsible for planning and promoting training, research and developing core competencies in the area of disaster management — will also be set up under the National Disaster Management Ordinance 2007, promulgated by President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday. The ordinance will come into force on April 18.

The institute will be responsible for documentation and development of national level information base relating to disaster management policies, prevention mechanisms and mitigation measures.

It will develop training modules, undertake research and documentation in disaster management and organize training programmes, formulate and implement a comprehensive human resource development plan covering all aspects of disaster management, provide assistance to national level policy formulation and provide required assistance to the training and research institutes for development of training and research programmes for stakeholders including government functionaries.

The body will also be tasked with the responsibility to provide assistance to the provincial governments in the formulation of provincial level policies, strategies and disaster management frame-work, besides developing educational material for disaster management including academic and professional courses and promoting awareness among the stakeholders including teachers and students, technical personnel and others associated with multi-hazard mitigation, preparedness and response measures.

A national disaster management commission will also be established shortly after the commencement of the ordinance.

Members of the commission will include leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, ministers for defence, health, foreign affairs, social welfare and special education, finance and interior, governor NWFP, chief ministers of the four provinces, AJK prime minister, chief executive Northern Areas, chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee or his nominee and representatives of civil society.