In accordance with the Prime Minister’s directive to develop a comprehensive 300-day preparedness and response plan for the 2026 monsoon season, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has been entrusted with the mandate to review and audit vulnerable public infrastructure and buildings. To advance this initiative, NDMA convened the National Seminar on the Infrastructure Audit Program – 2026 at the National Emergencies Operations Center (NEOC), NDMA Headquarters, Islamabad.
At the seminar, NDMA presented the approved concept note establishing the national framework for the Infrastructure Audit Program, which has received formal endorsement from the Prime Minister’s Office for implementation across both federal and provincial levels. This seminar marked the official launch of a nationally mandated initiative aimed at enhancing the safety, resilience, and long-term sustainability of Pakistan’s public infrastructure through a preventive, risk-informed approach.
Federal Minister for Housing and Works, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, attended the seminar as the Chief Guest and, in his address, he highlighted that Pakistan has repeatedly incurred heavy human and economic losses due to floods, earthquakes, and climate-induced disasters. He noted that these losses are largely attributable not only to natural hazards but also to vulnerable and inadequately prepared infrastructure, and emphasized the urgent need to transition from a reactive, post-disaster response model to one focused on early identification of structural weaknesses and timely mitigation.
The Chief Guest commended NDMA for initiating this forward-looking program in the national interest and stated that the Infrastructure Audit Program represents a paradigm shift from response to prevention and from assumptions to evidence-based decision-making. He observed that systematic infrastructure health assessments under the program would help identify risks in critical buildings, safeguard public assets, and enable informed planning and investment. He further reaffirmed the Ministry of Housing and Works’ full support to NDMA in advancing this important national initiative.
Chairman NDMA, Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik, stated that the seminar aimed to initiate coordinated nationwide implementation of the Infrastructure Audit Program–2026 by bringing federal and provincial stakeholders onto a single platform. He highlighted that the focus was to build a shared understanding of the audit framework, clarify roles and responsibilities, and align strategies and timelines to ensure systematic assessment and strengthening of critical infrastructure across the country during disasters and natural calamities.
Participants were briefed on the program’s rationale, scope, and phased implementation plan, including prioritization of high-occupancy and high-risk buildings, adoption of standardized audit methodologies such as visual inspections and non-destructive testing, development of digital reporting and decision-support systems, and incorporation of resilience indicators into infrastructure planning.
The seminar was attended by senior officials from federal and provincial governments, representatives of building control and development authorities, technical experts, engineers, academia, and development partners. The event concluded with a collective commitment by federal and provincial stakeholders to jointly implement the Infrastructure Audit Program – 2026, finalize initial priorities and timelines, and translate the national vision of resilient infrastructure into concrete actions on the ground. The seminar reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to protect lives, secure public investments, and build safer, stronger, and more disaster-resilient communities.
