ISLAMABAD (DI NEWS) : A TİKA-led Turkish technical delegation conducted a working visit to Pakistan to explore opportunities for enhanced cooperation between Türkiye and Pakistan in the fields of flood management, climate resilience, and early warning systems. The visit aimed to facilitate technical consultations, field assessments, and institutional exchanges in order to develop a joint roadmap for future cooperation initiatives between the two countries.
The Turkish delegation, headed by Mr. Maruf Aras, Deputy General Manager of General Directorate of Combating Desertification and Erosion of Türkiye’s Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, and experts from State Hydraulic Works (DSİ), the General Directorate for Water Management and TİKA held high-level meetings and technical field visits on flood management and early warning systems. During the visit, the delegation held a series of high-level meetings and technical consultations with key Pakistani institutions, including the Federal Flood Commission (FFC), Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC).
A particularly significant part of the program was the meeting held with the Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Ms. Aisha Humera Chaudhary, together with senior officials of the Ministry. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation and sharing experiences regarding flood and disaster management practices implemented in both Türkiye and Pakistan.
During the meeting, the two sides exchanged information on ongoing and planned initiatives related to WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), flood and river basin management, glacier and avalanche management, desertification and experts from Türkiye’s control measures, climate-resilient infrastructure, and early warning and hydro meteorological observation systems. In addition, both sides explored potential cooperation opportunities in the areas of zero-waste initiatives, institutional capacity building, technical training programs, and joint research and development projects addressing climate adaptation and disaster resilience.
Deputy General Manager also conducted field visits to key hydrometeorological monitoring and flood management facilities in Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Lahore, including telemetry-based hydro-met stations, flood-affected river areas, and operational forecasting centers. Technical experts from both countries exchanged views on integrated flood forecasting systems, data-driven risk monitoring, sediment and erosion control, and community-based resilience approaches.
The visit reflects the strong and longstanding solidarity between Türkiye and Pakistan, while also underlining the shared commitment of both countries to enhancing cooperation against the growing challenges posed by climate change, extreme weather events, and disaster risks.
