Adil Najam
Today, October 8, marks the 2nd anniversary of the tragic earthquake hit Northern Pakistan, Kashmir, and parts of India and Afghanistan.
But we want to dedicate this post not only to the memory of what happened, but also to the reminder that much more still needs to be done. This post today is dedicated to Zalzala Khan. A little child born in the village of Pore, in the heart of the earthquake-hit region on October, 2005.Last year, marking the first anniversary of this event we had written (other ATP posts on the earthquake here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here):
This is a moment to simply pause, pray and ponder. To think back on what has been done and what still needs to be done.
The same is true today. But, memories fade, new calamities happen, people move on. As the poet says:
Reh gaya Mushtaq dil mein rang-e-yaad-e-raftagaaN
Phool mehngay ho gaye, qabrain purani ho gaeen
But the fact is that qabrain purani nahiN hoeeN. The wounds are still there and they still bleed. The reconstruction has been slow. Children are still without parents. The houses still need to be rebuilt. The villages have yet to be rehabilitated. Much has happened because of the good work of many. But not enough has happened. What remains to be done is much more. Its just that our attentions have been diverted.
There are, of course,many other claimants to our attention and to our generosity. Earlier this year, in July, we at ATP had announced a small donation to the relief effort in Balochistan for those hit by Cyclone YemYeni. We sent half of our gift through Edhi Foundation and the remainder directly to small NGOs working in the cyclone area. Today we have decided to donate our advertising revenue since then to the earthquake relief efforts that are still going on. What we have to offer is not much. But as any one who has been to the area since the earthquake knows, even ‘not much’ can go a long way.
Maybe ours is just a symbolic gesture. But symbols are important. We at ATP hope that what you will read into this small gesture from this small website is that we all can do something. Even if only a little. And if we all do a little, it will soon add up to a lot.
(P.S. Other posts today on Pakistani blogs on the earthquake include: Islamabad Metroblog, Karachi Metroblog, Lahore Metroblog, Teeth Maestro, Micro Pakistan, Chowrangi, Buzzvines, Mera Jehaan, Help-Pakistan. Please add yours in the comments section.)
Great post. Does anybody know anything about the picture of the girl, who she is and what happened to her? I am curious.
Allah (SWT) ka din aik REHMAT hay ,
Ussay Khuda’ra ZEHMAT mat Banai’iey
Shab-e-Qadr aur Eid Mubarak to all in Pakistan.
When I first saw this picture it seriously gave me the spine-chills. Its almost as haunting is that famous National Geographic cover of an Afghani girl: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/100best/stor yA_story.html
Incidentally, I read in Dawn today that Musharraf is rather pleased with the reconstruction efforts in the quake-hit regions, and it seems the government will be doing more to help: http://www.dawn.com/2007/10/09/top10.htm
Its refreshing to see the government and civil society so aware and active with regards to this isue. Also I think the responsibility being felt by Pakistanis within and outside Pakistan is commendable and even inspiring. There is some goodness still left!
Qiblah Bilal Saheb
I have just (5.30 pm) replied to Ayesha’s post, who refered to Allah’s wrath. pls. have a look at it.
I will try to clarify that, AlMighty IS Always Merciful, we have no idea, if He starts opening up our accounts, what have we done to each other, and to the nature with which we cohabit, well, the entire population will sieze to exist, He is ,
thank God, not judging us every morning, as we are perfectly consience of our acts.
Nobody can ever force Allah (SWT) to wage war against
each others, we are destroying our own planet which was bestowed to us, go and enjoy !¨! use it for your benefit!
have good life, but as u can judge for yourselves, the
polution does it come from God ??
At present :
just few years ago or passé recent ,
The Genocide of Iraqians, Afghans, Chechens, Palistinians
Kashmiris, Rowandans, Sudanese, etc etc
Is AlMighty responsible ?? The God of Abraham,or Ishwar ?
In the recent past:
Ist, 2nd WWs, Genicide of Jews & other Europeans
Gonocide by Stalin 22 millions 48,000 using the leftover
concentration camps after the war had ended. Then
Communists/ Imperialists conflict.!
According to the UNO resources, we have actually
60 worldwide small and majeur conflicts around.
Where do you see GOD fit in all those man-made
massacres & Genocides ??? then we !! the UNO has,
however, the prescribed definiton of a Genocide.
One has to appriciate the preventive commands in
Islam not to kill infants, women, old, other ecological
safeguard measures.
Both, Natural disaster or man-made and created conflicts
have no distinctions between infants, women, old etc. Geneva convention has become a farce.
Planetarial Geological Phenomenon in different forms
pertaining to AlMighty’s created mecanism, which
was there when the planet was created , they say because
of a big bang,??, Why don’t we study this mecanism and
take measures to atleast reduce casualties and distruction .
Are we waiting for another Sumani ? and then look towrds
the sky and mumble nonsense. No fatalisme, lets be
reasonable. Stone-age mankind could not understand, we
must and we do,
My humble wishes
Assalamo Alaikum!
I am interesting in submitting one of my post at ATP. Can you guide me how to do it?
Well done Pakistaniat.
Your gesture is a good one. I think this spirit is the right one. Let each one ask what he can do and lets do it. Too many people talk to much and do too little.
Thank you for setting a good example by your generosity. We saw a lot of Pakistanis opening their hearts after the earthquake but as you say let us not forget that our support is still needed.
Is there a way we can also help you in thsi good work?
Rafay Kashmiri can you let me know how can you term such a thing as Allah’s wrath? If He is the most merciful how can he test us by killing innocent children in huge numbers? Is there an explanation for this?
Most of all, what about those children who are impaired for life and loose all their future and parents? Why would the Almighty do such a thing? The “He is testing us” theory is false and does not make any sense to me.