MANSEHRA: The survivors of Balakot observed the 11th anniversary of 2005 earthquake amid protests and tears on Saturday. The earthquake had claimed over 25,000 lives in Balakot alone.

The main gathering of the day was held at the mass grave of 82 students at the government high school where families and relatives of the victims, students and people from all walks of life gathered and offered prayers for the departed souls of those who had lost their lives in Oct 8, 2005 earthquake.

Tears were rolling down the faces of most of the participants who started praying at about 8:52am the time when the huge earthquake had hit Balakot and left it in ruins 11 years ago.

Survivors protest delay in allotment of plots in New Balakot City

“I cannot forget the moment when life came to a standstill within seconds. The city of Balakot was turned into ruins and bodies were lying beneath buildings all around and nobody was there to retrieve and bury them,” a survivor recalled his memories in front of mediapersons.

The prayers in connection with the anniversary were also held at mosques and schools across Balakot.

Also in the day, hundreds of survivors took to the streets to protest against the delay in allotment of plots to over 5,000 families in the New Balakot City housing project.

The rally, which started from Ayub Bridge, turned into a public gathering outside the government high school where the protesters shouted slogans against both the federal and provincial governments.

They also raised slogans against the local lawmakers, saying that they were not sincere in removing hurdles to smooth execution of this mega housing project the foundation stone of which was laid by president Pervez Musharraf in 2007 with the initial cost of Rs12 billion.

“We have repeatedly contacted the federal and provincial governments, and the Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority, but in vain,” Mian Ashraf, the chairman of action committee of survivors, told the gathering.

He said that the government had collected grants and donations of almost $6 billion showing the ruins of Balakot city to the outside world and philanthropists, but people here were still living a miserable life in small shelters even 11 years after the tragedy.

“We appeal to the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of the embezzlement in donations and grants and order removal of hurdles to the smooth execution and allotment of plots to the survivor families of red zone in New Balakot City,” said Mr Ashraf.

He said that if hurdles to smooth execution of the new city project were not removed they would protest in front of the provincial assembly in Peshawar and in Banigala, Islamabad, on Oct 30.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2016