MUZAFFARABAD: A walk, flag march and candlelight vigil were held in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) capital on Wednesday on the eve of the 21st anniversary of the devastating Oct 8, 2005 earthquake to promote awareness about disaster preparedness and safety.
The walk was led by senior Legislative Assembly member Noreen Arif, Muzaffarabad Mayor Sikandar Nisar Gilani, State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) Director General Saeed Qureshi and Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) state branch secretary and former legislator Gulzar Fatima.
Officials from the district administration, SDMA, Rescue 1122, PRCS, UN World Food Programme and several welfare organisations participated in the walk along with Girl Guides, Boy Scouts, Kashmir Forest School trainees, civil society members, students and volunteers.
Carrying banners and placards bearing messages about disaster mitigation and safety, the participants stressed the need for advance preparedness, effective planning and public awareness to minimise the impact of natural disasters.
Speakers said although natural hazards could not be prevented, their impact could be reduced through timely preparedness, precautionary measures and effective emergency response systems.
The walk was followed by a flag march involving Rescue 1122 ambulances, fire tenders and other emergency vehicles, accompanied by Civil Defence volunteers, scouts, guides and representatives of welfare organisations. Prayers were also offered for the victims of the earthquake.
After sunset, a candlelight vigil was held at the cable-stayed bridge linking the Chattar and Gojra neighbourhoods across the River Jhelum, also known as the Earthquake Memorial Bridge.
Main ceremony today
The main ceremony to commemorate the earthquake victims will be held at Khurshid Hassan Stadium here on Thursday. The ground that had served as a major camp for survivors in the aftermath of the disaster houses a monument to martyrs on its western side.
SDMA Director General Saeed Qureshi said a siren would be sounded at 8:52am — the time the earthquake struck 21 years ago — followed by a minute of silence and a salute march by police and Rescue 1122 personnel.
Prime Minister Iftikhar Gillani will lay a wreath at the monument to the martyrs.
Members of the cabinet and assembly, government officials, civil society representatives and other dignitaries are expected to attend the ceremony.
National flags of countries that participated in rescue, relief and reconstruction efforts following the 2005 earthquake will also be hoisted at the venue. The prime minister will inspect stalls set up by the SDMA and Rescue 1122, while shields will be distributed among winners of speech competitions.
PM pays tribute to victims
In a separate message on the eve of Earthquake Martyrs’ Day, Mr Gillani paid tribute to the victims, describing Oct 8 as a “dark day” in the history of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the earthquake had claimed thousands of lives, injured many more and destroyed homes, educational institutions, hospitals and other infrastructure across AJK.
The disaster, he said, was a reminder that although natural hazards could not be prevented, their impact could be reduced through institutional preparedness, resilient infrastructure and effective disaster-management systems.
Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2026
