Islamabad, July 15,2026: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening humanitarian cooperation with the United Nations, as he met UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher at the Prime Minister House.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr. Syed Tauqir Shah, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik and other senior officials attended the meeting.
The prime minister appreciated the humanitarian work being carried out by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in responding to complex emergencies worldwide. He also acknowledged OCHA’s continued support to Pakistan, particularly during the devastating 2022 floods, and thanked the organization for assisting the country in strengthening its disaster response capacity.
Shehbaz Sharif noted that Pakistan’s national and provincial disaster management institutions had significantly improved their ability to respond to climate-induced disasters over the years. However, he stressed that the growing frequency and intensity of climate-related events required greater preparedness, stronger resilience and closer coordination among national, regional and international stakeholders.
Tom Fletcher thanked the prime minister for the warm reception and appreciated the longstanding partnership between Pakistan and OCHA. He also commended Shehbaz Sharif’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability, observing that sustainable peace was vital to addressing the humanitarian and economic consequences of conflicts.
During the meeting, Fletcher briefed the prime minister on the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and outlined the challenges OCHA faces in delivering urgently needed aid to civilians affected by the conflict.
He also expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s continued support to OCHA’s humanitarian operations in Afghanistan.
The prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to work closely with the United Nations and OCHA to enhance global humanitarian cooperation, strengthen disaster preparedness and support relief efforts for vulnerable communities affected by conflicts and natural disasters.
