PESH AWAR: Adviser to Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on information and public relations Samar Haroon Bilour on Thursday said that addressing the challenges posed by climate change required advance planning, effective resource management and close coordination among all relevant departments.
She called for special attention to snowfallprone areas, particularly Upper Chitral, UpperKohistan, Upper Dir, Shangla, Mansehra and Swat. She directed the relevant authorities to make arrangements to deal with heavy snowfall, extreme cold, avalanches, landslides and heavy rainfall.
The adviser said this while chairing a meeting to review the Winter Contingency Plan 2026-27, the impacts of climate change, natural disasters, terrorism, traffic accidents and the overall emergency preparedness in the province.
During the meeting, Ms Bilour was given a detailed briefing on the relief department’s available resources, operational capacity, existing stocks of relief supplies, districtwise requirements and additional resources and facilities needed to respond to potential emer-gencies during the winter season.
According to the briefing, winter-related risks have been assessed across all districts of the province, with eight districts classified in the extremely high-risk category.
Emphasising the need for proactive planning and preparedness, Ms Bilour directed the authorities concerned to ensure timely completion of all preparations for potential winter emergencies.
The adviser stressed that machinery, fuel and operators must be readily available for the timely restoration of roads in remote valleys and snowfall-affected areas.
Reviewing the availability of relief supplies, she directed the immediate verification of existing stocksand ensured that essential relief items were available at the district level according to local requirements.
The adviser stated that she would consult the finance department andthe governor to address financial and fundingrelated issues of the relief department, adding that effective measures would be taken to resolve these matters on a priority basis.
With regard to terrorism, traffic accidents and other emergency incidents, the adviser directed that rescue teams, vehicles and relevant machinery be fully operational and on standby at all times.
She stressed the need for effective coordination and a unified emergency response mecha-nism among Rescue 1122, district administrations, police and the health department to ensure swift and coordinated action during emergencies.