Balakot remembers victims on quake anniversary

The 21st anniversary of the devastating October 8, 2005 earthquake was observed in Balakot and surrounding areas with solemnity and grief on Thursday, as residents remembered those who lost their lives in the catastrophe.

A sombre atmosphere prevailed across the valley, with people mourning the loss of their loved ones. The main ceremony was held at Government High School Balakot, where an alarm was sounded at exactly 8:52am, the time the earthquake struck, followed by a one-minute silence in memory of the victims.

Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal MPA Munir Hussain Laghmani, District Education Officer Mansehra Zahid Khan, Assistant Commissioner Balakot Hasrat Khan, former tehsil nazim Haji Rustam Khan, teachers, students, members of the business community and a large number of residents attended the ceremony. A collective prayer was also offered for the departed souls.

However, the anniversary once again revived the long-standing grievances of earthquake survivors. Despite 21 years having passed since the disaster, the authorities have failed to present any concrete and practical plan for the allotment of plots in New Balakot City.

As in previous years, residents said they had received little more than promises and assurances from the authorities. Victims from the red-zone areas of Garlat and Balakot returned to their temporary homes once again, carrying their hopes of being settled in New Balakot City and the renewed pain of waiting for another anniversary.