Ticking clock of peril: A standing testament to 2005 temblor

Unaware of Margalla Towers’ tumble-down in 2005, a family shows no fear living there.

ISLAMABAD: The quivering Margalla Towers are a haunting reminder of the earthquake that struck northern Pakistan in 2005. The construction still stands on fragile foundations, fuelling fears of yet another fatal wobble.

The bravest of hearts would shudder at the idea of occupying this ticking clock of peril. However, Mohammad Azam and his family seem to lead a blissfully carefree life in the building. Azam, his wife, and three children relocated to Islamabad from Sargodha some two-and-a-half years ago and, finding no other place to live in the city, were contented to lodge at the tower.

Quite unaware of the building’s spine-chilling tumble-down in 2005, Azam and his family have no plans of vacating the premises despite the absence of electricity, gas and water services. “When we came to Islamabad, we did not have any place to live, therefore someone suggested that we live here,” said Mohammad Azam who is a private guard by profession earning up to Rs8,000 a month.

Azam’s children Majid, Nadia and Kiran are aged 7, 5 and 3 respectively. They spend their day scampering about barefoot in the building rubble and then huddle together in the one room which the entire family uses for sleeping. These children were not able to continue their education after shifting from Sargodha, and often serve as tour-guides for people who frequent the dilapidated building.

“Almost everyday people from different backgrounds and age groups come here, but we do not know for what purpose they come,” said Kausar, wife of Azam. She said that there was no security check for people who visited the building - which had become a nightly hideout for drug addicts.

Azam said that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) representatives had asked him to vacate the place, but he and his family persisted as they had no other place to live. He added that there were threats that the building would be demolished, but no such measures had been taken thus far.

It is indeed a serious point of concern that the tower, located in the city’s elite area, is still in a shambles after being damaged seven years ago. There are no restrictions for people visiting the building – which stands as a sorry reminder of the bloody calamity. Edited by Faiza Rehman

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2012.