MANSEHRA/SHANGLA: The survivors of the October 8, 2005 devastating earthquake marked the 12th anniversary of the tragedy by protesting and shutting down shops in Balakot here on Sunday.

The traders observed a complete shutter down to mark the day with special prayers offered at the mass graves of the victims.

The people from different walks of life, including district nazim Sardar Said Ghulam and tehsil nazim Rustam Khan, participated in the prayers.

The prayers were followed by a ceremony addressed by Mr Ghulam, president of traders’ body Javed Iqbal and others.

A local, Mohammad Mahroof, criticised both the federal and provincial governments for their failure to address the core issues of New Balakot city housing project and said the civil hospital Balakot couldn’t be reconstructed even after 12 years of the quake.

He urged the district nazim to ensure allotment of plots to the survivors at the new Balakot city and reconstruction of the civil hospital.

The survivors also took out a rally against the federal and provincial governments.

In Shangla, survivors of the earthquake remembered their dear ones at an event organised at the deputy commissioner’s office in Alpuri by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

Deputy Commissioner Abdul Hamid Khan was the chief guest on the occasion, while Assistant Commissioner, Alpuri, Tariq Mehmood, DSP headquarters Amjad Ali Khan, officials of line departments, notables and Pakistan Red Crescent Society officials were also in attendance.

The deputy commissioner said the October 8, 2005 was the saddest day for the entire nation as Pakistan had lost thousands of precious lives in various parts of the country on the fateful day.

He said the earthquake survivors would never forget the day and that every Pakistani paid respects to the victims in their prayers.

The DC and other speakers called for creating awareness among the common people about the natural disasters and how to take protective measures in case of emergencies to save precious lives.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2017