A Crisis Management Cell was established here at the Prime Minister's House to coordinate with all federal civil, military and provincial agencies for damage assessment, rescue, relief and recovery operations. Joint Secretary of the PM Office Kazim Niaz would head the Cell, established on the directives of the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, according to a PM House statement.
Soon after the 8.1 magnitude earthquake hit most parts of the country, the Prime Minister directed setting up of a Crisis Management Cell. The Cell would work round the clock, a statement from the PM House said. The Prime Minister directed Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Mahtab Ahmed to immediately mobilise tribal administration for relief, rescue and damage assessment.
He also directed Governor Gilgit Baltistan to immediately reach Gilgit to take charge of the relief and rescue operation. Earlier, the federal government also called back Chairman NDMA immediately from foreign tour to effectively coordinate relief operation.
The Capital Development Authority also dispatched a unit of its five sniffing dogs and trainers to KPK through NDMA to detect the lives from the rubble, wherever needed.
The Prime Minister directed all federal civil and military agencies to declare immediate alert and mobilize all resources to ensure security of the citizens. He said no stone should be left unturned to provide all kinds of assistance in this regard. Later, on directives of Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar, a high level emergency meeting was convened by DG Health at the Ministry. High alert was issued to all provincial health departments to ensure sufficient medical stocks in hospitals and cancel leave of all hospital staff immediately. The minister directed National Health Emergency Response Cell to provide all possible assistance to the said departments and relief agencies.