BEIJING: Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and the Institute of Electrical Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IEECAS) have signed a memorandum of understanding to improve the lightning warning capability and reduce loss of lives and property in Pakistan.

Sahibzad Khan, Director General of PMD, and Dr Yaohua Li, Director, IEECAS signed the MoU here in Beijing.

Khan Muhammad Wazir, Science Counsellor, Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing, and Prof. Tianhua HONG, Executive Director, China- Pakistan Joint Research Center on Earth Sciences witnessed the signing of the MoU.

The purpose of the MoU is to initiate and promote the establishment of a VLF/LF lightning detection network in Pakistan to improve the lightning warning capability of PMD and to reduce casualties and property losses caused by lightning disasters.

After the signing ceremony, Khan Muhammad Wazir thanked the Chinese side for its support in building the disaster management capacity of Pakistan.

He noted with satisfaction the growing cooperation between the two countries in the fields of environment protection, climate change, and disaster management through technology transfer, sharing of information and capacity building programs.