Anniversary of 2005 earthquake: Survivor families announce to boycott gatherings

MANSEHRA: The survivor families of the 2005 devastating earthquake on Thursday announced to boycott gatherings being organised by the federal and provincial governments to mark the 17 anniversary of the day.

“We have decided to distance ourselves from gatherings being organised by the federal and provincial governments for the photo sessions, as we are still without allotment of plots at the New Balakot City Housing Project and living a miserable lives in the makeshift shelters,” Tehreek-i-Takmeel Balakot Chairman Tahir Khan told reporters in Balakot.

A group of affected people led by Tahir Khan denounced the federal and provincial governments, saying the international community generously donated over $5 billion for the rehabilitation and reconstruction infrastructure but they were still living miserable lives in shelter houses.

Tahir Khan said the then army ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf had laid the foundation stone of the New Balakot City Housing Project in 2007, and that housing project was estimated to be completed with Rs13 billion in 2011.

“This project is still in doldrums even after 11 years to its scheduled development and its estimated cost according to the federal government surged to over Rs22 billion,” he added.

Maulana Qazi Khalil, the prayer leader of the central mosque in Balakot, said that the federal and provincial governments were not on the same page for the completion of that mega housing project.

“The former prime minister, Imran Khan, wanted to develop thehousing project through public-private partnership some two years ago, but no practical steps could be initiated as yet,” he added.

Another local, Qari Sarfaraz said that the survivor families of Balakot and Garlat would boycott the gatherings being organised by the government and would hold the Quran Khawani on the mass grave of students.