MoU on lightning warning capability signed

BEIJING: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and the Institute of Electrical Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences 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 of IEECAS, signed the MoU in Beijing. Khan Muhammad Wazir, science counsellor, Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing, and Prof Tianhua HONG, executive director, China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre on Earth Sciences, witnessed the MoU signing.

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

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.