Oct 2005 earthquake anniversary marked amid shutdown

MANSEHRA: The fourteenth anniversary of October 2005 earthquake was marked amid complete shutter down by traders on Tuesday.

“The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government should announce a mega financial package for survivors as they are still living in prefabricated houses without education and health infrastructure even after 14 years of the tragedy,” Ahmad Hussain Shah, local MPA, told a ceremony held in connection with the 14 anniversary of the earthquake at Government High Schools Balakot. The traders observed a complete shutdown to mark the day and offered prayers for victims who had died in the tragedy. They assembled in groups at mass graves of over 80 students at Government High School Balakot and offered fateha for them. A rally was also taken out by survivors to mark the day which culminated at the Ayub Bridge after marching through various roads in the city. The main programme was held at Government High School Balakot where besides others MPA Ahmad Hussain Shah, Additional Deputy Commissioner Yasir Khan, District Education Officer Khan Mohammad Swati addressed the gathering. Ahmad Hussain Shah, while speaking on the occasion, said the successive governments didn’t pay heed to problems faced by survivors of the earthquake. He said the destroyed health, education and other infrastructure was yet to be restored completely. The MPA said that if the government wanted to change New Balakot City housing project into a tourism-friendly zone, it might end deprivations of survivors and they would welcome it. A former president of the District Bar Association Munir Hussain Lughmani said the government should allot plots of land to survivors as per the ruling of the Supreme Court. —Correspondent