Survivors mark 12th anniversary in Balakot with protest

Oct 8, 2005 earthquake 

MANSEHRA: Survivors of the October 8, 2005 earthquake marked 12th anniversary of the tragedy amid protest and shutdown in Balakot on Sunday.

The traders observed the shutdown to mark the day and attended special prayers at the mass grave in Government High School, Balakot. People from different walks of life, including District Nazim Sardar Said Ghulam and Tehsil Nazim Rustam Khan attended the collective prayers. The prayers were followed by a ceremony, addressed by Said Ghulam, president of local traders union Javed Iqbal and others.

A local resident, Mohammad Mahroof, criticised both the federal and provincial governments for not addressing the core issues of New Balakot City housing project and civil hospital Balakot over the past 12 years. "District nazim sahib, you are also responsible for the agonies and hardships the earthquake survivors have been facing and you should announce on this occasion that you would ensure allotment of plots in the New Balakot City and the reconstruction of civil hospital," said Mahroof.

The district nazim, in response, said that politics was one of the major reasons behind delay in allotment of plots and construction of civil hospital as the government had already transferred an amount of Rs550 million for it.

Mian Ashraf, who led a protest rally, said that 12 years down the road, the Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (Erra) was still uninterested in addressing the core issues of the New Balakot City. "We are still living in small makeshift shelters in a miserable condition but the Erra is not sincere in completing the New Balakot City housing project," he maintained.