Global Disasters: Pakistan's Experience

• Author: Ikram ul Haq
• Position: Brigadier General, Pakistan Army
• Pages: 257-265

XVI

Global Disasters: Pakistan's Experience

Ikram ul Haq*

Introduction

The earthquake that struck Pakistan on October 8, 2005 left behind wide-

spread devastation and enormous loss of life with extensive damage to eco-

nomic assets, infrastructure and social service delivery. The devastation was spread

over 30,000 square kilometers of Himalayan terrain. It affected half amillion

households, destroyed most of the educational institutions in the affected area and

killed over 73,000 people, including 18,000 children. The majority of health care

units collapsed, communications infrastructure was rendered unusable, all essen-

tial utilities were disrupted and the area was strewn with two hundred million tons

of debris. Families lost their breadwinners, senior citizens were left alone to fend

for themselves, children lost their parents and parents are still mourning lost and

injured children. Infrastructure that took years to construct, disappeared in six

minutes. The misery did not end there. Hundreds of post-earthquake tremors

multiplied the shock and trauma. The administrative machinery that could have

helped the victims survive the disaster, itself collapsed and perished. The rugged

mountainous terrain made it more difficult and winter in the Himalayas threat-

ened the lives of the survivors, already traumatized. This, the worst natural calam-

ity in Pakistan's history, has changed the lives of millions and is one from which it

will take many years and at acost of billions of dollars to recover.

*Brigadier General, Pakistan Army. The views expressed in this article are those of the author

alone and do not necessarily represent the views of the Pakistan government, the Pakistan

Defence Force, or the Pakistan Army.