October 04, 2008	Saturday	Shawwal 04, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Oct 3: The crush and abandon seen on the roads and in bazaars mocked the prophets of doom when Islooities welcomed the sensational Chand Raat Wednesday night.

It was like “safety comes second”.

From the crowds in the streets, defying warnings from doom merchants, it was hard to tell that Eid celebrations in the capital had been marred by the suicide bomber who drove his dumper truck into the Marriott Hotel less than two weeks ago.

Although fragrantly spiced samosas, pakoras and kebabs and fruit chaats will be thoroughly missed, Chand Raat marked the end of Ramazan with feasts and celebrations.

And then Eid, it was like everybody hung on to specs of happiness rather than taking such joyous moments for granted like usually done.

But there were also those who had faced unfathomable suffering and loss, and were now seeking answers to their prayers and words of hope. For many such victims Eid had not been the same since the October 8 earthquake in 2005.

One such victim of tragedy was six-year-old Anusha. The Oct 8 devastating earthquake left her paralysed waist down for the remainder of her life.

She lives in a paraplegic unit in the National Institute for Handicapped in G-8. The facility is home to over 80 females who suffered spinal injures in the Oct 8 earthquake.

Anusha was playing when the roof caved in injuring her back and fracturing her skull. With a thick scar running across her forehead and squinting almond-shaped eyes, she has got a smile that would remind of all the beauty God has graced us with.

She lay on her bed as her little friend helped her wear henna. “My brother and sister are coming to visit me on Saturday,” Anusha said. “I will wear a black embroidered dress when they will come.”

“She has some idea of what has happened to her. But she asks questions sometimes about how soon she will start walking,” said Anusha’s grandmother who looks after her. “But she is a little devil in her wheelchair,” her grandmother said smiling.

Thirteen-year-old Sadia Noor is another permanent resident at the unit. She came from Bagh but was happy because her family lived in Islamabad. “Eid has been good,” Sadia said, holding up her maroon dress which she wore on Eid.

“My family, brothers and parents visit me often. They will come again tomorrow to spend time with me,” said Sadia who celebrated her second Eid in the unit.

Not everybody in the unit for the paraplegics was as fortunate as Sadia or Anusha.

Salima Bibi has been a resident in the unit for almost three years now. She had not seen her husband or her two children since then.

“Her niece used to visit and sometimes her brother-in-law to take away the donated money from her. They didn’t think she had any use for it. Salima doesn’t even remember the last time they were here,” said one of her caretakers who were probably the only family she knew.

In her 40s, Salima Bibi was still undergoing psychological therapy.

“She was violent and used to run away. She still suffers from memory loss at times,” said the caretaker.

She knew that October 8 was just around the corner and remembered what had happened three years ago on this date. And all she could say was “pray”.