October 08, 2007	Monday	Ramazan 25, 1428

THATTA, Oct 7: Intellectuals, leaders of civil society and political activists on Sunday observed that love for the countrymen and human beings in general was at its peak during the crucial moments after the massive earthquake that hit Pakistan on Oct 8, 2005.

They said at a seminar on “Janat Nazeer Dhartee Jo Almiyo” marking the second anniversary of the disaster mainly attended by rural people, that national reaction and immediate activation of civil society and foreigners were exemplary while the overall performance of government functionaries was no satisfactory.

The seminar was organised by Syed Masood Mustafa Shah, PPP leader and the son of intellectual, late Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, at his native village Qadir Dino Shah Mori.

Mr Mustafa, travel writer Abdul Hayee Palijo, writer and poet Ghulam Hussain Rangrez, story writers Ghulam Mustafa Lund, Rashid Soomro and former MPA Syed Shafique Shah Bukhari described the devastation and the trauma caused by disaster, killing over 80,000 people, injuring 70,000 and making 3.2 million people homeless.

They said that the calamity did irreparable losses to assets and infrastructure but failed to shatter people’s faith, 88 per cent of whom resided in hilly, mountainous rural settlements.

Mr Mustafa told the audience that the region’s population was relatively young. Nearly 42 per cent population was under 15 years while 6.7 per cent were above the age of 60.

Individuals donated millions of dollars towards the relief efforts through the President’s Relief Fund and civil society organisations working in affected areas.

Besides, millions of dollars help was extended by brother countries in addition to monetary and logistic assistance by UNDP, UNICEF, WFP and UNFPA. It was also a bitter fact that vested interests benefited more than the genuine victims from this large-scale help, he said.

The speakers and participants offered fateha for the people who died in the earthquake and praised the courage of those left behind.