The 2005 Kashmir earthquake was a major earthquake centred in Azad Kashmir, near the city of Muzaffarabad, also affecting other areas of Pakistan (Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). It occurred at 08:50 am on 8 October 2005 with a magnitude of 7.6 making it similar in size to the 1935 Quetta earthquake. Since this disaster had occurred many writers pen their feelings and experiences about this incident.
Bashir Sadozai is one of such writers who visited the area and feel the pain and sufferings of the affected people and witness the disaster stricken villages and towns. He writes in detail every aspect of the disaster which swept away not only the buildings and people but also their dreams and ambitions their goals and their civilisation. He observes that it is very tragic for a person to know that all the family members died in the earthquake and the ones who left behind to mourn hope he/she might have met the same fate and join their loved ones. But it is the way of Mother Nature to make us realise the importance of life which is the gift of Almighty, he can take it whenever and wherever he wants.
The writer covers all the villages and town that were affected by the earthquake. He gives the detail account of Muzafarabad, Chakutte, Sadhan gali and many other small villages where he stayed and interviewed the affected people and also talks to the authorities to learn about the progress work being done during five years. He tells us about the master plan for Azad Kashmir according to which $535million for Muzafarabad, $120million for Bagh and $136.71million for Rawlakot must be given by the government to rehabilitate the affected people but nothing much has been done yet. He tells us how 10,000 people of Lorianabad village, which is 8000 feet above sea level buried alive due to landslide as a result of earthquake. All 500 houses vanish from the face of the earth. We can understand the severity of the disaster by the statement of Sardar Sikander Hayat Khan, then Prime Minister of Azad Kasmir he said," I am the Prime Minister of a graveyard".
The development work is slow in most of the areas but the people themselves construct their houses after receiving first instalment of the aid from the government. Many of the people now have started their own businesses as they did before the disaster and trying of make both ends meet.
The master plan for Kashmir also includes tourism as for hundreds of years Kashmir is a tourist attraction. Sixteen places have been chosen to make tourism points. But the writer worries about the people of Azad Kashmir as this area is situated at the earthquake belt and can meet the same fate in future.

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Book       :   Zalzalay say Pahlay aur Baad
Author     :   Bashir Sadozai
Publisher  :   Welcome Book Port, Karachi
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