ISLAMABAD/MUZAFFARABAD: National Resilience Day was observed on Sunday across the country including AJK to commemorate the 18th anniversary of deadly earthquake of October 8, 2005 and raise awareness about the disaster management among the public.
The earthquake claimed thousands of lives besides causing massive damage to infrastructure especially in Azad Kashmir and Hazara division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Different events were organized in different parts of the country including Azad Jammu and Kashmir to express solidarity and sympathies with the victims of the calamities. The day dawned with special prayers in mosques for the martyrs and prosperity of the country.
One minute of silence was observed at all district headquarters at 08.54 am. Last year in September, a strong earthquake of 5.8 magnitude brought disaster to different parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The quake hit some urban and rural parts of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) including Muzaffarabad, Kotli and many other scattered places.
In their separate messages on the occasion, President Dr Arif Alvi and Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar reaffirmed the commitment to enhance national preparedness and strengthen resilience in the face of natural disasters.
The President in his message said we come together to show our solidarity and compassion for families who have endured the devastating effects of unprecedented natural disasters.
The Caretaker Prime Minister in his message said Pakistan is moving towards a proactive approach to cope with the challenge of Climate Change. Chairman NDMA sais in his message that we commemorate this occasion with a mission and commitment to advance national preparedness by improving and increasing the nation’s resilience to natural and human induced threats.
He said that Pakistan is facing changing climatic condition and frequent recurrence of unpredictable and extreme events. In order to meet these challenges, NDMA is proactively working at reducing the vulnerability to disasters, and also providing coping mechanisms and framework for effective disaster management, he added.
The NDMA chairman said that the disaster management system in Pakistan had traveled a long way in the recent time with formulation of National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy and National Disaster Management Plan but still we have to go very far by implementing these polices and plan in their true letter and spirit.
“We have also made considerable progress in mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in development processes, which will no doubt lead to greater national resilience against potential disasters. Our expedition for resilience is consistent and we need to make our utmost efforts to realize the ideals. The Disaster Management System in Pakistan is currently undergoing a transformation, shifting from a reactive to a proactive approach. This represents a significant change in how we collectively address unexpected crises,” he concluded.
18 years on, Oct 8 earthquake still haunts Pakistan
Bitter memories of the devastating earthquake of October 8, 2005 still linger on as the nation on Sunday is observing 18th anniversary of the disaster which claimed over 70,000 lives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Islamabad besides flatting scores of several villages and towns and leaving millions of people homeless.
The earthquake, which measured 7.6 on the Richter Scale, struck at around 8:52 AM.
Muzaffarabad was the hardest hit, because the epicentre of the quake was just 19 kilometers (12 miles) to its northeast, while Balakot and Mansehra in KP were no less affected as thousands lost their lives in these areas too.
The earthquake, which was also felt in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, India and the Xinjiang region, is considered the deadliest earthquake in South Asia, surpassing the 1935 Quetta earthquake.
The main ceremony in connection with the day was held in AJK capital Muzaffarabad’s Khurshid Hassan Khurshid Football Stadium.
AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwaarul Haq was the chief guest on the occasion, while members of the AJK cabinet, members of the Legislative Assembly, secretaries and people belonging to all walks of life were in attendance.
Siren was played and a minute’s silence was observed at 8:52 AM; the very moment when the quake had struck AJK, KP and other parts of northern Pakistan.
Later, the AJK PM laid floral wreath on the memorial of martyrs. Similar ceremonies were also held in other parts of the AJK and KP.
‘Army role during earthquakes would never be forgotten’
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry has said that unparalleled help provided by the Pakistan armed forces to the earthquake victims would never be forgotten by the people of Azad Jammu Kashmir.
In a statement, he said that compensation for the loss of human lives caused by the earthquake was not possible, but the government tried its best to rehabilitate the victims, rebuild and reconstruct the damaged infrastructure. He thanked the international community for its generous support for rescue and relief of earthquake victims in 2005.
