The second two-day Pakistan-China symposium on "Early Warning for Hydrological and Geological Disasters" commenced in Islamabad today under the auspices of the National Disaster Management Authority.

During the inaugural session, a booklet based on globally adopted best practices and procedures for disaster management and risk reduction was launched.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal attended the inaugural session as the chief guest.

Addressing the symposium, Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan is facing increasing threats due to climate change. He said rapidly melting glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other regions are causing a rise in flood risks.

Chairman NDMA Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik said the authority is shifting its focus from post-disaster response to proactive measures and modern early warning systems.

A large number of representatives from the United Nations, diplomats, experts and researchers are participating in the symposium.