Islamabad (TDI): A scientific exchange was hosted by the Swiss Embassy in Islamabad to create earthquake resilience through cooperation between Swiss and Pakistani professionals.
The event, jointly organized with the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), brought together scientists, researchers, and practitioners in the fields of disaster risk management and seismic structural safety.
The discussion held during the session was aimed at developing joint research projects, technology transfer, and applying localized engineering solutions to reduce earthquake impacts in Pakistan’s high-risk areas.
The Swiss Embassy just hosted an interesting exchange for Swiss🇨🇠and Pakistani🇵🇰 scientists and practitioners who focus on improved engineering for earthquake resilience !
Thank you to @ndmapk ,@EPFL_en and leading local experts, who join hands to protect lives. pic.twitter.com/sU9LbiffYH— Embassy of Switzerland in Pakistan (@SwissAmbPak) July 15, 2025
The participants also shared discussions on institutional partnerships and lessons drawn from past disaster response and infrastructure resilience engagements.
Swiss institutions, such as EPFL, have gained experience in seismic protection, structural dynamics, and disaster risk science. They attended the session to connect research with its application in high-risk areas such as northern Pakistan and parts of Balochistan.
Pakistan has witnessed destructive earthquakes in the past years. The 2005 northern Pakistan earthquake is classified as one of the most destructive, exposing critical gaps in infrastructure safety and emergency preparedness.
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In this context, improved cooperation in earthquake engineering has been considered a principal sector for sustained risk reduction.
The Swiss Embassy has previously helped Pakistan in advancing science and development cooperation in a variety of fields, ranging from climate adaptation, water management, to vocational training.
This latest exchange reinforces those ties once more, with a special focus on meeting the need for disaster-resilient infrastructure in one of the most disaster-hit countries of South Asia. The Embassy expressed gratitude to EPFL, NDMA, and the specialists for their inputs.
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