President calls for quick responses to mitigate impacts of natural disasters as nation marks 9th anniversary of October 2005 quake
The country Wednesday observed the ninth anniversary of October 2005 earthquake which killed over 46,000 people, injured thousands and destroyed over 300,000 houses and private and public properties worth billion of rupees in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) region and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Special prayers were offered in all mosques after Fajr prayers for the martyrs who lost their lives in the catastrophe. AJK Minister for Finance and Planning Chaudhary Lateef Akbar laid a floral wreath at the monument of martyrs in Muzaffarabad.
The national flag along with AJK flag was hoisted half mast on all public buildings of the state to mark the anniversary.
Seminars were held to pay tributes to the Pakistan Armed Forces, people and government of Pakistan, international community and donor agencies for their contribution for rescue and reconstruction activities in the quake stricken areas.
President Mamnoon Hussain, in his message on the day, said devastating earthquake of 2005 wreaked havoc in AJK, KP and other parts of the country. He said the day brings to our memories countless human miseries and the huge loss of lives, property and infrastructure. He said the day was an occasion to express solidarity with all those families who suffered this calamity.
The president said the observance of this day as National Disaster Awareness Day is also an occasion for stock-taking and to reiterate our commitment to make greater efforts for preparing ourselves to face all such adversities.
Hussain also called for urgent measures focusing on addressing those causes that are contributing towards the surge and recurrence of such natural calamities. The President said the recent floods in Pakistan and the great losses that we have suffered have reinforced the need to pay greater attention towards threats and to take all possible measures to effectively mitigate the impacts of such disasters.
