The nation observed on Monday the 7th anniversary of devastating 2005 earthquake that had hit northwest and Azad Kashmir and killed over 70, 000 people.
Gatherings were organized in the affected areas to pay homage to the victims of one of the worst earthquakes in the country.
The 7.6 tremors on Richter scale shook parts of Pakistan at 08: 52 a.m. local time on Oct. 8, 2005.
The casualties resulting from the earthquake reached to 74698 according to officials, putting it higher than the massive scale of destruction of the southwestern Quetta earthquake in 1935. More than 100,000 people were injured in the quake, which also destroyed villages, roads, schools, hospitals, bridges and caused massive land sliding in the most affected areas.
In Kashmir, sirens were sounded at 8:52am, during which traffic stopped for one minute and silence was observed to pay homage to the victims. Later, collective prayers were held in all the quake-hit districts of Kashmir. Prayers were also offered for those killed in Islamabad, when parts of a multi-story Margalla Tower in the posh F-10 sector of Islamabad collapsed, killing dozens of people.
In Muzaffarabad, the capital of Kashmir, special prayers were held at University ground where floral wreath was be laid at the monument of martyrs of the earthquake.
National flag was hoisted half-mast on all public buildings of the state to mark the anniversary.
7th anniversary of devastating earthquake observed
