The killer earthquake of 8 October 2005 which shook Azad Kashmir, Balakot, and Northern areas of the country spelt disaster on an unprecedented scale. The magnitude of the destruction of life and property evoked spontaneous response from all sections of the society across the country and galvanized the whole nation into action towards providing succour and relief in the stricken areas.
Dr. Asif Mahmood Jah and his team of dedicated doctors, paramedics, and volunteers undertook immediate trips to the affected areas and did what was humanly possible with their limited resources for the people in distress. The account of the calamity and efforts to alleviate the large-scale misery and suffering is contained in Dr. Asif Jah's earlier book Zalzla, Zakham aur Zindgi published in April 2007. This book was very well received by the public.
Coincidentally. Ziarat and surrounding areas were struck by the earthquake again in the month of October, three years later - to be precise, on 29 October 2008 - and brought death and destruction largely on poverty - stricken population of the area. The ever- vigilant team of Dr. Asif Mahmood Jah spontaneously rose to the occasion and rushed to the scene of disaster with post - haste speed, though only with a handful resources which could be mustered at a pinch.
While the team carried on with the relief - work, Dr Jah was simultaneously taking pains to maintain a faithful record of all efforts and events which went on amid the scenes of disaster which assumed formidable dimensions owing to severely cold weather -conditions in Ziarat. This resulted in the production of another book titled Zalzla Ziarat aur Zindgi. In view of the daunting task under taken by the team in far - flung areas, this bock is an admirable effort by the author to record and preserve the details of the havoc which would have otherwise been consigned to the dustbin of history with the passage of time.
The book brings out the fact that the initial human efforts which seem so tiny and ineffectual in the face of mighty nature that man on earth is at once puny and powerful. If the first one tiny step taken by man on the earth can prove a big leap to land him on the moon. It is quite understandable that his tiny efforts can as well move mountains! The saga of human struggle declares that man, with all his infirmities, is great ! So that each one of us may well say:
Lord , though I lived on earth, the child of earth, yet was I fathered by the starry sky. The book comprises three parts. Part 1 deals with the earthquake and the destruction in Balochistan. The account is contained in thirty one small chapters and makes easy and interesting reading. The narration is not dull and dreary; it is punctuated with description of scenes of natural beauty which once was and somewhat even now is against the backdrop of which the relief operations continued as also the local population performed their daily chores with courage and fortitude.
Part II contains seven small pieces of writing and focuses on natural calamities and their causes both in the light of geological and ecological changes and the divine will. Data concerning notable earthquakes which occurred in Pakistan and elsewhere in the world is documented in a separate chapter and thus contains valuable information on the subject. This adds to academic worth of the book. Part III recapitulates the events of October 2005 earthquake of Azad Kashmir and Northern areas, the details of which were published in Zalzla, Zakham aur Zindgi, a couple of years earlier.
The book provides a valuable record of suffering, pain, and destruction and the courage of man to survive amid inimical environmental conditions. It inspires the reader to rise above petty personal considerations and dedicate himself to the service of ailing humanity and thus fulfill Allah's will. The decision to place the book in our libraries is certainly most seemly.
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Book : Zalzla, Ziarat Aur Zindgi
Author : Dr. Asif Mahmood Jah
Publisher : Ilm-o-Irfan Publishers, Lahore
Pages : 224
Price : Rs 250/-
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