Exactly 2 years ago, Saturday the fateful day of October 8, 2005, at 8.52 am, a vast tract of 'terra firma', the location of Azad Kashmir, Balakkot and Northern Areas of the country, shook under the impact of violent energy and all was over in no time.
The towns, buzzing with activity, where men, women and children were engaged in their usual chores, were taken unawares. The humming habitations of a while ago were razed to the ground and suddenly presented horrifying scenes of unprecedented havoc wrought by the elemental forces of nature. Towns upon towns, brimming with exuberance of life, were transformed into a desolate wasteland which, in its wide dimensions, no human eye could grasp.
The capacity of the human eye had become inadequate. Heaps of rubble and debris and corpses of humans, birds and animals and articles of domestic use lay scattered all over the place. The mischief done by the quake touched the inmost chord of the whole nation's heart, including the members of the Health Care Society, a Lahore based NGO.
Working to alleviate the sufferings of poor and non-affording patients the NGO mustered up its courage determined to provide all possible succor to the stricken population. A team of doctors, paramedics and volunteers, including the author, made 15 trips (10th October, 2005-July, 2007) to the affected areas with supplies of medicines, blankets, tents, food-stuffs, and other articles of urgent human need. Battling against hostile weather conditions, each trip found its way to far - flung areas seldom visited by other similar teams in difficult and hazardous mountain-terrains, and the team contributed its full mite to people completely cut off from humanity. Thereby, enabling them to discover some twinkling lights in the enveloping darkness.
The present essay is a brief account of the last visit (July, 2007) of the Society to the affected areas which elucidates the present scenario in the affected areas and also indicates that much more remains to be done to alleviate the suffering and improve the lot of quake-affectees.
The majestically beautiful and mysterious valleys of Kashmir, the darkest night, an atmosphere of deep silence, a light drizzle and the stillness of the whole environment. We suddenly heard a hissing sound and a queer noise in front of our vehicle. Manzoor woke up after a tiresome by long journey. He at once started reciting Allah's name and Darood Pak. I, too, woke up at 2 o'clock in the night and peeped out of the door and felt dread seeing at some body's shadow.
Soon, the melodious voice of Maulana Fazl-i-Rabbi came to my ears, "Dr Sahib! I am fully awake to look after you against any upheavel." At breakfast, Maulana Sahib told us that adjacent to his house is a graveyard where his father was buried. "A lion by his presence at the grave pays homage to him regularly".
His father had served the religion throughout his life and he died at the age of 150 years. In his Mosque and Madrasah, the Jinns used to learn the Holy Quran and the Traditions of the Holy Prophet. Even after his death, they used to visit his grave. That was the reason he kept himself awake, so that his guests were not disturbed.
The earthquake of October 8, 2005 had caused great destruction and dilapidation. The beautiful valleys of Chanar and Chakar were totally ravaged. Thousand of people breathed their last. Maulana Fazl-i-Rabbi's village belonged to the union council Salmia in Chakar valley which comes after 3 hour long journey from Muzafferabad, through Garhi Dopatta, Chhatian Bala, Hatian Bala and Valleys of Chanar and Chakar .
The whole passage is dangerous and tedious. In the beginning of July, we chalked out a programme to serve the quake-affected people. However, we paid due heed to the calamity - stricken provinces of Balochistan and Sindh where torrential rains and floods had played havoc.
With due cooperation and assistance of friends, we collected rations and medicines abundantly. Half of the collection was donated for the flood affectees of Balochistan and Sindh. It was our humble donation to the calamity-stricken people of Sindh and Balochistan. In accordance with the settled programme, we as colleagues, including Azeem Sahib, Arshad, Muhammad Ishfaque, Adeel, Manzoor, Jameel and Abdul Khaliq, gathered together in the hospital and set out on our journey to Islamabad in the evening. From Islamabad we went to Abbotabad. As previously, we again stayed at Zain Hotel for the night. Early in the morning , we left for Balakot. The weather was pleasant after the rain. From Abbotabad, we set out on our journey to Balakot via Mansehra. Mansehra and Balakot are situated at a distance of 30-35 kilometers from each other. The whole passage is extremely dangerous and horrible. However, the green mountains and beautiful trees are alluring and attractive. On the way one could observe the spectacle of destruction caused by the earthquake of 8th October, 2005.
Nevertheless, things have improved a lot better than before. People have somehow repaired their damaged houses for re-habilitation. A few tented villages are still in existence where people reside. We wanted to reach Balakot first. The road was blocked and the passage was closed by burnt tyres. We were told that the windstorm of last night had broken the electricity wires and caused great havoc, by burning many a shop. That was why the people were protesting and blocking the way. Ishfaque and Arshad informed the protestors about the objectives of our journey and were permitted to continue our journey.
Abdul Hameed of Balakot met us on our way. He is, in fact, a citizen of Balakot but has been residing in Lahore for some time. His ancestral home was completely dilapidated as a result of the October, 2005 earthquake. He donated the land of his house to a school. Thus in November, 2005, the foundation of Iqra Khair-un-Nas trust was laid. This school is situated behind lower Jalora Sangrai Road, at a distance of two kilometers from Balakot. In this school, children are taught the Holy Quran by heart along with religious education. The Society had already handed over the education stuff, ie books and exercise notebooks published according to the syllabus to Abdul Hameed for delivery to the students. We stayed for a while at the mausoleum of Shah Ismail Shaheed and prayed to Allah Almighty for blessings on this great mujahid who sacrificed his life for the uplift of Islam. The sweet little children of the school welcomed us in a pleasant manner. On our arrival, people in great numbers had already thronged the placed for medical check-ups.
First of all we examined, medically, the school students and then distributed gifts of various kinds among the little children. Later on, other patients were examined and treated. During the whole day more than 300 patients got free treatment with medicines. Food items were also distributed among the poor and needy families.
After Balakot, we intended to travel to Chakar Valley. Maulana Fazlur Rehman had also joined our caravan. Hence we chalked out our itinerary to go to Muzaffarabad and then onward. We completed our journey from Balakot to Muzafferabad in three hours by passing through Ghari Habibullah on way to Muzafferabad. On arrival at Muzaffarabad, some of our companions paid homage at the mausoleum of Sain Saheli Sarkar. Muzaffarabad was miserably ravaged by the earthquake but the building of the mausoleum of Sain Saheli Sarkar remained intact, although the big governmental buildings in and around the mausoleum were razed to ground.
We offered our Maghrib prayer in the mosque adjacent to the mausoleum of Sain Saheli Sarkar. One of our vehicles got damaged on our way. So we decided that half of us would stay at Muzaffarabad, and the rest would travel to Salmia via, Chakar Valley. The road from Chakar to Salmia was surrounded by lush green and fruitful trees on both sides amid lofty mountains. Wherever, the ground between the hills was smooth, people would cultivate it for growing crops. At random spots, one could observe a living abode as well. All the way up, from Muzaffarabad to Hatian Bala and Chakar, there is an ascent and the Valleys of Chakar and Chanar are filled with the intoxicating fragrance of Chanar trees. Light drizzling made the atmosphere pleasant. On the sides of the road and down in the valley one could see the trees of plum, apricot, cherry and mulberry.
As we ascended upside, the whole Chanar Valley opened up spaciously. On the way at many places, one could find water springs and water falls. Water of these springs was cooler than ice, and more clean and transparent than the artificial mineral water. One could feel satisfied after drinking this water. After passing through pleasant but dangerous paths we reached Salmia at 11 o'clock in the night. Our hosts had gone to sleep after a long and cumbersome wait. Maulana Fazl-i-Rabbi, who is the Khateeb of the local mosque and the elder brother of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, came out of his house and started his services for us. There was pin-drop silence every where. It was quite late in the night and we were feeling too hungry. After some time, food was served and we ate our fill and went to sleep. The news of our arrival had already spread all around. After morning prayers, patients started pouring in large numbers. From the suburbs of Salmia, Bari, Dhadhali, Thhootha Majoey, Garhi Dopatta, Komwala, Chhalian Saran, Tani Bakalan, Chakar, Suddhan Gali and Rawal Gali, patients had thronged in great numbers. When the schools opened in the morning, the school teachers and students came to the medical camp to assist us and for medical check up. Ashfaq and Shakeel took charge of the dispensary. Arshad, Adeel and Fazlur Rehman started distributing gifts, ponies, chips and rings among the children. We started the examination of the patients and gave them medicines for 7 to 15 days. Ration was also distributed among the needy families. More than 500 patients were examined and treated till the evening. Due to the hilly area, many patients suffered from chest infection, physical disability, backache, skin infection, Goiter and Asthma. Maulana Fazle Rabbi told us that he attended the funeral prayers of more than 170 people within two days after the earthquake. Among them was included the 18 dead bodies of his kith and kin. He also narrated the religious services of his father to the local community.
We went to see the scenic beauty of a beautiful natural lake, which is known as Karli Lake situated near Salmia. However it was sad to know that two or three villages got drowned in the lake after the earthquake as a result of heavy land slides. 1600 people lost their lives. From Salmia, we reached Muzaffarabad via Chakar, Hattian Bala and Garhi Dopatta. We then started our return journey and reached Islamabad via Murree.
It has been two years since the earthquake that occurred on 8th October, 2005. But when we visit these areas today, we feel that much more remains to be done to alleviate the suffering of the quake affectees. Rehabilitation of the earthquake affectees is not yet complete. The work of rehabilitation must be continued on a regular basis. The wounds left by the departed ones will not be healed in centuries. But those who have survived need our full sympathies and material support to overcome their deprivations.
It is the responsibility, not only of the civil society, but of all the people to continue helping the calamity stricken brothers affected by the earthquake of 8th October, 2005, with enthusiasm and zeal. We must keep the fire ablaze to kindle the hopes and expectations of the devastated individuals banking upon us.