PTA Prepares National Disaster Telecom Plan to Strengthen Emergency Response

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has drafted a National Disaster Telecommunication Plan to strengthen emergency response and disaster management, recognising the critical role played by telecom networks during crises.

The key development is that the draft plan has been forwarded to the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication for approval, after extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders, according to the document.

Once approved, the plan will form the basis for Pakistan Emergency Telecommunication Services Regulations, which will be shared with the public for feedback before finalization. The objective is to create a structured, legally backed framework to ensure reliable communication during disasters across the country.

Drawing lessons from recent flood emergencies, the plan focuses on improving coordination between telecom operators and disaster management authorities. It proposes closer integration with the National Disaster Management Authority and provincial disaster management authorities to enable a unified national response during emergencies.

The draft also outlines the rollout of a nationwide Public Warning System based on Cell Broadcast technology. This system will allow authorities to send timely alerts for floods, earthquakes and other emergencies directly to mobile phones without network congestion.

In addition, the plan proposes the deployment of IoT-based telemetry solutions for real-time monitoring of floods and rainfall. These systems are expected to improve early warning capabilities and allow more targeted and location-specific alerts.

According to the PTA document, the proposed measures are aimed at significantly improving Pakistan’s disaster preparedness, strengthening coordination among institutions, and ensuring faster and more effective communication during emergencies.