21 years on, quake victims still await promised homes

BALAKOT:

The 21st anniversary of the devastating October 8, 2005 earthquake will be observed across the country, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, with prayers and remembrance for the victims.

For the people of Balakot, the epicentre of the disaster, the anniversary continues to evoke painful memories and unfulfilled dreams. At 8.52am on October 8, 2005, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the region, turning thriving valleys into scenes of devastation within minutes.

More than 86,000 people were killed, while millions were displaced and thousands suffered permanent disabilities. Balakot, designated a red zone because of the scale of destruction, bore the brunt of the disaster. Thousands of children were killed when school buildings collapsed, while hardly any family remained untouched by the tragedy.

Twenty-one years later, the memories remain vivid for survivors who continue to mourn their loved ones. Every October 8 brings back memories of children, parents and siblings who were buried under the rubble.

Soon after the earthquake, the government announced the construction of the New Balakot City at Bakrial as an alternative settlement for residents of the devastated city. The project was intended to provide earthquake survivors with safe and modern housing.

However, despite the passage of 21 years, the New Balakot City project remains incomplete, leaving many affected families waiting for the promised settlement.

Despite government and international assistance, dozens of schools and basic health facilities in Balakot and surrounding areas also remain incomplete or non-functional.