LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz marked the 21st anniversary of the October 8, 2005 earthquake on Thursday by turning remembrance into a warning that floods, earthquakes and smog demand standing preparation, not sympathy after the fact.
In her message for the National Day of Resilience, she expressed solidarity with the victims and paid tribute to those who died. People still feel deep sorrow over the lives lost, she said, and the compassion, sacrifice and empathy the nation showed in that hour remain unforgettable.
“Effective policies and sustainable measures are essential to cope with floods, earthquakes and smog caused by climate change,” she said.
The unity, steadfastness and courage shown during earthquakes and floods, she said, were a proud part of the national character. She praised the Pakistan Army, Navy, Air Force, Rescue 1122, police and other institutions for their rescue and relief work.
“All institutions must remain prepared at all times to deal with natural disasters. Timely preparedness can save human lives and property and protect the environment from devastating damage.”
She pointed to Punjab’s own test. The province faced the largest flood in its history and mounted its biggest rescue, relief and evacuation operation, saving millions of people and millions of livestock. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority has been modernised to cut losses in future emergencies, and all provincial institutions remain mobilised.
The 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck on a Saturday morning in 2005, killing more than 73,000 people across Azad Jammu and Kashmir and what is now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and leaving millions homeless.
In Islamabad, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued their own messages. The National Disaster Management Authority held a ceremony at which its chairman, Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik, said the day was as much about preparing for the next disaster as remembering the last.
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