A two-day Joint PAK-UN Multi-Hazard Simulation Exercise (SimEx) led by the National Disaster Management Authority in partnership with the United Nations was held on 3–4 December 2025 at the National Emergencies Operation Centre, NDMA Headquarters in Islamabad. The SimEx assessed and strengthened Pakistan’s emergency preparedness by testing decision-making, interoperability, information management and resource planning across national and provincial actors.
More than 130 participants from federal ministries, provincial departments, PDMAs, GBDMA, SDMA, district administrations, UN agencies, international organizations, national NGOs, academia and media participated through six dedicated working groups. Delegates represented Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and the Federal Government, working through evolving tabletop scenarios reflecting earthquake impacts, monsoon flooding in Punjab and Sindh, glacier lake outburst floods in high-altitude areas and winter blockages in mountainous districts.
Working groups used NDMA’s response matrices that incorporated hazard baselines and coordinated line-department inputs to present synchronized response frameworks. The exercise provided a practical environment to identify coordination gaps, improve information sharing and align resource allocation across national, provincial and district levels under simulated large-scale emergency conditions.
NDMA expressed appreciation for the active engagement of UN agencies, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, participating ministries, PDMAs, district administrations and partner organizations for their support in strengthening a unified national response system. Findings from the PAK-UN SimEx will inform updates to contingency plans and operational preparedness across Pakistan.
