Adil Najam
This post comes live at exactly 8:50:38 AM, Pakistan Standard Time.
Exactly one year ago a massive and traggic earthquake hit Northern Pakistan, Kashmir, and parts of India and Afghanistan. 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, I just compiled a quick list of some numbers of where things stand today. They make for a sobering read:
Total dead in Earthquake = 80,000 – 90,000
Estimated proportion of children amongst dead = 80 percent
Early recovery assistance pledged by international donors = US$ 255 Million
Early recovery pledges that have NOT been recieived yet = US$ 94 Million
Current (updated) estimate of long-term reconstruction costs = US$ 4.4 Billion
Current estimated shortfall = US$ 800 Million
Affectees still living in tents in camps = 35,000 – 40,000
At-risk families without permanent shelter = 60,000 – 100,000
Additional people who might need shelter this winter = 30,000 – 60,000
Estimated houses destroyed = 400,000
Estimated houses whose rebuilding has begun = 17%
By way of disclosure, I should note that these have been culled from various news reports from reputable sources. These are mostly based on estimates; and estimates do vary. However, the numbers are such that even if we were to assume that all are grossly exaggerated, even then they are worthy of our attention and of our reflection.
ATP has previously written about this issue here, here, here and here. There were numerous websites and blogs that came up in response to the tragic events of 8 October 2005, one of these – Help Pakistan – has called for Pakistani blogs to post on this subject on 8 October to raise awareness. I am sure many are planning to do so already and I think it is a great idea. Indeed, the web and blogs became one of the many vehicles through which the Pakistani citizenry everywhere joined hands to do whatever they could to assist in that time of great need.
the outpouring of emotions and tears has remained a constant since last year… this day will always mark the day of our collective national sorrow.. just listening to fakhr-e-alam and his recollections of relief brought a deluge of tears. in the words of Faiz, zindagee kya kissee muflish kee qaba hai jiss main har gharee dard kay payvand lagay jaatay hain
I wish that it may done so soon. so that little children will be safe from killing winter there. ALLAH un sab par apni Khas Rehmat Nazil kare. Aameen
The whole city of Balakot is dead, it was not merely a city but it was also a well known historical place. It was the place where Syed Ahmed shaheed & Shah Ismail Shaheed along with hundreds of freedom fighters were martyred.
It was tanoori Roti and Kabab which was highly popular in whole area of Mansehra and people were coming from various place to taste them but it is today the Balakot where people have very less to feed their children.
You are right Adil, they still need a help from us. Therefore I ask everyone again and again that please pay Fitrana to some organisations whose members are physically working there. I don’t think it is so wise to give this money to your local Masjid, as they have enough. And if they want to give this money to victims then I still doubt that it would reach to the right people. Please give Fitrana and Zakat like these small organisations Sachsen e.V., http://www.alpinclub.com/hilfsaktion12.html#news
These small international organisations are no missionary or church organisations who go there in the name of serving the victims and start preaching their religion.
I talk about organisation of Sachsen e.V. because its members in Balakot and Muzafferabad and still engaged in helping people they are doctors, trekkers and students from Europe and from there own salary and funds from various organisations to help them physically. They are even building a school for children, where “dozens of other schools flattened in villages across the mountainous and more than 400 children in school were dead.” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4322930.stm.
I know a German doctor who left his practice and took some months holidays to help these people. I ask myself who is he? Not a Pakistani indeed! but a human being who cannot see people suffering and here we are who already forgot our own people is this the Pakistaniant and Insaniat???
I believe many of you are young and never thought of giving Zakat yet but maybe it is a time so lets think about it and if you earn some money give a small part of it. It was a 50 cent of one German which helped many children in Balakot to have shoes in winter. Your some cents can give them life think about it.
Flashback:
According to the netizen’s reference of choice, the Wikipedia, the recent earthquake hit South Asia 08:50:38 Pakistan Standard Time (03:50:38 UTC/ 09:20:38 India Standard Time) on Saturday, October 8th, 2005. It was Friday night here in California and, as a lot of us are wont to do, before I turned in to sleep, I happened to glance at Yahoo! News headlines. There was mention about a quake in Pakistan. It seemed like a pretty serious natural disasterâ€
Amazing how much still needs to be done