Telenor Pakistan has signed an agreement with its emergency response partner, the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), to mitigate the impact of disasters through an SMS-based early warning system.
The agreement was signed by Michael Patrick Foley, the chief executive officer of Telenor Pakistan, and Mehboob Sardar, the secretary-general of PRCS, in the presence of Information Technology and Telecom Minister Anusha Rehman at the PRCS headquarters.
According to a statement, the project is a “flagship endeavour” designed to ensure preparedness and mitigation of a disaster through emergency response, emergency recovery, rehabilitation and development.
The project will allow aid agencies and mobile phone users in disaster-hit areas to interact in real-time through SMSs, creating much-needed timely communication flow.
The project is jointly funded by the International Federation of Red Crescent and Telenor Pakistan.
Dr Saud Elahi, the chairman of the PRCS, said, “One of the major challenges being faced by humanitarian organisations in natural disaster areas is the lack of early warning for affectees that can mitigate the effects and save many lives.”
