RISKS are an integral part of life — so risk reduction must be, too. Numerous studies have shown that those who are more aware of and better prepared for risks are likely to cope with disasters more effectively.

Yet, translating this simple truth into practice has proven extremely difficult for our successive governments. But pleasantly, many poorer countries have made substantial progress in risk governance since 2000.

According to the World Resilience Poll Index 2024, 74 per cent of Vietnamese respondents said they felt capable of protecting themselves from disasters, compared to only 31pc of Pakistanis. Even more concerning, the number of Pakistanis who reported having experienced a disaster rose from 11pc to 27pc over the past five years. This must have gone up in recent weeks.

The poll also reveals a remarkable level of public trust in Vietnam, a country that had expelled a superpower just 50 years ago. An impressive 84pc of its citizens said they believe their government cares about their well-being. In stark contrast, only 27pc of Pakistanis said the same. In other words, nearly two-thirds of Pakistanis believe their government does not care about them. No wonder Pakistan ranks among the bottom 10 countries on the Resilience Index.

Here’s another sobering comparison: the 2025 Chandler Good Government Index ranks Pakistan 109th of 120 countries, while Vietnam stands at 48th. On the sub-index titled ‘Government Helping People Rise’, Pakistan sinks to 115th place; Vietnam at 52nd. All other South Asian countries rank above us but below Vietnam. Widespread gender-based discriminations make half........

© Dawn