Pakistan Earthquake 2005

Covering the earthquake, the damage and the relief work in Pakistan.

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Pall of gloom looms over Karachi

Karachi is now dotted with hundreds of relief camps set up by a large number of government, semi-government and private organizations. This indeed represents a strong sense of participation from Karachiites. Why this outpouring of support?

First, Karachi, with a population of over 12.5 million people, the largest city of the country, is a town of diverse communities, which include people from the NWFP and Azad Kashmir. According to rough estimates, over 2.5 million people in this city (both Pushto and Hindku speaking) originally hail from the NWFP. The number of Kashmiris also roughly runs into several hundred thousands if not the millions.

Second, due to its history of ethnic and sectarian killings and bomb blasts Karachi fortunately has a good network of NGOs that are fully devoted to social causes and the service of humanity. Undoubtedly, the Edhi Foundation tops the list. Almost all political parties and their student wings have begun relief work also. These include the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s and the Jamaat-e-Islami’s social service organs Khidmat-e-Khalq and Al-Khidmat, respectively. Besides this, there are a number of religious NGOs or social work organizations, but many of them were banned since 9/11 because of their suspected or established links with sectarian outfits and the Taliban or Al Qaeda. However, there still exist a sizeable number of such organizations which have been operating for the good of the humanity. And we must not forget that this city is full generous individuals.

Third, this tragedy has struck people of the north during the month of Ramadan in which Muslims are required to pay Zakat. Saturday morning’s quake brings to one’s mind the 1755 Lisbon earthquake that fell on All Saints Day when churches were crowded with people. Thus, death found its victim quite easily. Although, not the strongest or most deadly earthquake in human history, the 1755 Lisbon earthquake’s impact not only on Portugal but on all of Europe was profound and lasting.

Fourth, the media revolution in this part of the world has immensely contributed towards creating a strong sense of participation among people. It is particularly the electronic media, which has ably portrayed the enormity of the destruction, though it hasn’t yet been able to reach out to some areas cut off by landslides and ruined roads.Even surveys carried out via helicopters are incomplete as nobody knows about the people who are still trapped under the debris of their houses, schools, and workplaces. In the meantime, a wave of gloom has pervaded Karachi. The tragedy has affected business and work life markedly with people are glued to their television sets in a bid to stay abreast with the developments. Many school going children and young adults were also seen working at relief camps to put in their bit.

Fifth, Karachi has the largest number of professionals, including doctors and engineers, in the country. Thus, it is only fit that teams of doctors, including orthopaedic surgeons, anesthetists and general surgeons, have already left for up north. Many others with support staff and medicines are lining up their programmes to leave in the next few days. It is expected that a number of the critically injured would be transported to Karachi, where government-run tertiary-care health institutions such as the JPMC, CHK, NICVD, NICH and privately run hospitals such as the Aga Khan and Liaquat National hospitals can help.

In some respects, the earthquake has demanded of people a kind of unity that was witnessed during the 1965 war when the entire nation rose to the occasion. This indeed an hour of trial for us and how we react will be a test of character.

Source: Daily Times

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