And yesterday I saw that scene live, which I have seen in many movies…
The Bano Arcade collapsed. That multi-storeyed shopping store located in the local market. I was returning from the university when I heard some boys saying “it’s down… it’s down… all over.” I couldn’t get what they were talking about. I looked around to see what was down, but didn’t notice anything. Then I walked out of the street and turned into the main market.
Two constables were standing there, redirecting the traffic. I got a little puzzled, “may be it’s some kind of vehicle checking thing”, I thought. But then I realized that a huge mob is present some steps further. I got more puzzled and went ahead…
I saw ambulances…
I saw the fire-brigade crew…
I saw police constables…
I saw TV reporters…
I saw panic…
And when I moved a little further into the mob, I saw dust. I realized that there used to be a shopping store in place of that dust.
I couldn’t really accept the situation. “It’s down… it’s down… all over.” Yeah, the Bano Arcade was down. I remembered that the top storey of the building was under-construction…
“The lower structure couldn’t bear the load of another storey,” one man was saying. I looked at him. “Sub-standard material, I guess,” another one commented. “Allah janay (Allah knows), let’s just pray that trapped people could be rescued,” third one added.
I looked at the collapsed building. Police constables, labourers, common people, all were there trying to rescue those people who were trapped below. The same scene I have seen in the movies. But reality really hurts…
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2 comments
Beans
Apr 9, 2003 at 5:54 am
oh wow…Where do you live? That sounds awful >.O I got here from Rice Bowl Journals by the way wonderful set up you have here
Saadat
Apr 9, 2003 at 11:10 am
Thanks for dropping by, Beans! I live in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.