This blog is no longer being updated. Last post was “Farewell”.
I am telling you, experiencing an earthquake of magnitude 7.6 while you are also down with fever is certainly not a pleasant thing.
Yesterday morning I was in my bed, trying to convince myself that this fever of mine would be gone soon when the bed started shaking. I waved my hand as if trying to shoo a teasing mosquito away, thinking that it’s just a minor little quake. And then suddenly, the windows started shaking. The ceiling fan started shaking. The cupboards, the computer, the tables, the books… everything started shaking. And they all started shaking violently. Within a flash, I was out of my bed and joined my other family members downstairs in the lounge, listening to the sounds of Allah-o-Akbar coming from people who gathered outside in the street.
And then, after a couple of minutes, bad news started to arrive.
You all now know about the details. Entire villages in northern Pakistan are destroyed. The Margalla Towers in Islamabad collapsed. (These towers are just a 5-minutes-drive away from my home). People are homeless, without any shelter. Thousands are buried under the debris. And the worst part is, some affected areas are still waiting for rescue teams. The Margalla Towers had the luxury of being in Islamabad, and thus are under the limelight—center of everyone’s attention. But what about the people in Muzaffarabad, Mansehra, Balakot, and numerous other cities and towns up there in north, where thousands are trapped, where rain and hailstorms are making things even more difficult, and local administration is still waiting for help and reinforcement. And according to the weather forecast, it might rain again this evening in those areas.
And the attendance in mosques has increased exponentially. Although this obviously isn’t funny, but still it is amusing to see how almost always we need a maula bakhsh to keep ourselves on the track. Maybe this has become our trait as a nation that unless we don’t sense fear, and unless we are not punished, we don’t care to think about the rights and the wrongs. Until we are alive and have our senses in working order, it is never too late to repent on our misdoings and to seek for Allah’s forgiveness. Let’s pray that this unfortunate event makes us think and behave. Ameen.
I would also like to thank all who called me, texted on my cell phone, emailed, and/or posted a comment here about me and my family’s safety: A, Aapi, Saeed, No One, and all others. It feels so good to have friends around. Initially, there was some difficulty in contacting me through my cell phone, since, probably, one of Mobilink’s towers was also affected. But anyway, thanks again for your concern.
May Allah help us all.
20 comments
Saeed
Oct 9, 2005 at 4:36 pm
I know, been reading abt those northern areas since morning, very sad indeed.& yes, v tend to neglect our duties as long as v r ok,& all it takes is a tragedy to remind us of what we should have been doing…& how cud v not think of U?
Gul
Oct 9, 2005 at 4:52 pm
The intense news which is still distrubing us is about those doomed villages and still waiting for rescue. How Cruel our GOVT is? my GOD.
Do tell us updates about missing ppl frequently Saadat. Bcoz I’ve my no relatives in the only City of Pak which is Isloo.
VL
Oct 9, 2005 at 4:59 pm
It’s sad. All I can do is pray!
May Allah have mercy on us!
Ayesha
Oct 9, 2005 at 7:11 pm
I agree with VL, all we can do is pray and donate too, InshaAllah he (Allah) will do reham on us (ameen)
Asma
Oct 9, 2005 at 8:53 pm
Assalam o alaykum w..w!
Alhamdolillah, I am glad to know that u r all fine, hope ur fever is down too, now!
That was really shaking, but the problem is rescue works are needed very swiftly in kashmir and hazara region, its already some 36 yrs.
Prayers are needed, plus if some finacial help be given too!
Wassalam
Chris
Oct 9, 2005 at 9:20 pm
Dear Saadat,
I work on a segment looking at the news through the eyes of bloggers and podcasters. Could you let me know how I may contact you – email etc?
many thanks and best wishes, Chris
NJ
Oct 10, 2005 at 6:32 am
im glad u and ur family are ok! i hope all ur friends and their families are alright as well! it is indeed a sad state of affairs. we must all pray for mercy and ask for repentance!
yasmine
Oct 10, 2005 at 10:06 am
Saadat, I remembered this morning that you’re in Rawalpindi (just like my mother’s family is) and I was hoping you were alright. I’m so glad to hear you and your family are well and safe. May it be so for all your loved ones inshaAllah, and may all who are affected by this tragedy be blessed with much strength and ease during this time.
Saadat
Oct 10, 2005 at 12:19 pm
Saeed: Thankfully, rescue work has started in the northern areas. And thanks again of thinking of me
Gul: I’ll try my best to update, but you know how poor I am when it comes to update. Meanwhile, check out all the news websites.
VL: Ameen. Prayers are surely needed by all of us.
Ayesha: Ameen. The donations have already started reaching the affected regions.
Asma: Rescue teams have started working, as you know. And thanks, but my fever is playing games with me. Bad, bad fever
Chris: Just sent an email to you. Thanks for dropping by.
NJ: Agreed, we must pray for mercy and look out for our actions. Consequences depend on them.
Yasmine: I hope your mother’s family is all right and safe too. Ameen to your duas. (By the way, we shifted to Islamabad last year.)
zenia
Oct 11, 2005 at 3:45 am
salam
glad to hear that u and ur family is alrite……..
plz pray for ma family they r in kashmir………
yasmine
Oct 11, 2005 at 4:52 am
Alhamdulillah, glad you’re all safe. =)
And I think I recall you posting about relocating to Islamabad, now that you mention it. But the other day, I couldn’t remember if you were in Rawalpini or Islamabad, and then I checked out your About page, which says you were born in ‘Pindi, so I figured maybe you were still there. =)
Sadiya
Oct 11, 2005 at 9:20 am
alhamdulillah its good to hear you and your family are safe. my family is also safe. one of my friends lost 19 of her extended family.
subhanAllah.. what a disaster.
with the tsunami, hurricane katrina and this huge quake .. it just shows that whether you live in the richest country in the world, or not.. we’re still as fragile as life itself.
may Allah save us from our sins. ameen.
No One
Oct 12, 2005 at 11:42 am
Hey Saadat,
Glad to hear that you and your family are doing just fine…haven’t been able to post a comment here (as usual somethings wrong with my browser)…I hope all of you pakistani’s living abroad would donate generously to your local communities/ centres that are collecting donations. Please also visit the UNICEF website, incase you want to donate and don’t really know where and how…
Take Care…
Saadie
Oct 12, 2005 at 4:24 pm
Glad to hear that your family is fine, but real worried about northern areas
Laura
Oct 13, 2005 at 2:41 am
Been thinking about you. Glad you are safe!
Saadat
Oct 14, 2005 at 9:48 am
Zenia: Just saw at your blog about your uncle. Alhamdulillah.
Yasmine: =)
Sadiya: Ameen.
No One: Let’s hope that all these donations and funds go to the deserved.
Saadie: Yes, the northern areas are so destroyed
Laura: Thanks!
No One
Oct 16, 2005 at 7:05 am
Hey,
Feed back required! please visit my blog again and post suggestions!
Thanks
zenia
Oct 20, 2005 at 10:06 pm
yeh thanks to Allah they are all fine…… bas mohjaza hi samjoo…..
i heard there was an other small quake….hope everything is alrite
YoUSuF
Oct 31, 2005 at 4:52 pm
Greetings.
Glad you’re safe. It really is a terrible tragedy. We had never imagined that such a calamity will ever hit our “Mumlikat-e Khudadaad” Pakistan.
May Allah bless this country and its inhabitants.
Regards,
YoUSuF.
Asma
Nov 2, 2005 at 10:46 am
You’ve become so slow in updating … wondering why