The National Resilience Day is being observed across Pakistan today to pay tribute to the victims of the devastating 2005 earthquake and to highlight the nation’s strength in the face of adversity. The powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Azad Kashmir and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the morning of October 8, 2005, at 8:52 am, causing widespread destruction. Muzaffarabad, the regional capital, was the epicenter of the disaster, where entire communities were reduced to rubble. The catastrophe claimed more than 80,000 lives and left thousands injured and homeless. To mark the day, various events are being held across the country, including in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, to express solidarity and compassion with the affected families. In Azad Kashmir, the day began with special prayers for the martyrs and those who lost their lives in the tragedy, while participants also renewed their commitment to strengthening disaster preparedness and resilience across the nation. Prayers were also made for the liberation of Indian occupied Kashmir. Fateh Khawani and Quran Khawni are being offered for thousands of martyrs who lost their lives in the quake-hit districts of Azad Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. President, PM’s messages President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have reaffirmed the government’s vision to strengthen national capacity of disaster risk reduction and protecting vulnerable segments of society. In their separate statements on the occasion of National Resilience Day being observed today, they paid tribute to the whole nation for recovering from the devastating earthquake of October 8, 2005 with courage and unity. The President said over the years, Pakistan’s disaster management framework has made important strides with a state of the art National Emergencies Operation Center, harnessing advanced technology for early warning and risk assessment.
National Resilience Day being marked across the country today
