Remembering October 8, 2005 – lessons etched in loss and resilience

The solemn prayers held at the mass graves in Mansehra on the 20th anniversary of the October 8, 2005, earthquake serve as a poignant reminder of one of the darkest and most defining chapters in Pakistan’s history. The tragedy, which struck at 8:50 a.m. on that fateful morning, remains deeply etched in the collective memory of the nation – not only for the scale of human suffering it unleashed but also for the unity, resilience, and compassion it inspired in the aftermath.
The 7.6 magnitude earthquake that ripped through northern Pakistan devastated entire towns and villages across Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and parts of Punjab and Islamabad. Within seconds, life was reduced to rubble in Muzaffarabad, Balakot, Bagh, and Rawalakot. More than 73,000 lives were officially lost, with independent estimates placing the toll closer to 87,000. Thousands more were injured, orphaned, or permanently disabled, while nearly three million were left homeless as mountains crumbled and infrastructure vanished.
Balakot, where the 20th-anniversary prayers were held, stands as a haunting symbol of that destruction. The high school’s grounds, now home to mass graves, bear silent testimony to the immense loss suffered by its people. The ceremony – attended by teachers, students, traders, and local officials – was not only an occasion of remembrance but also a call to reflection. The prayers for the departed and for Pakistan’s continued peace and safety underscored the moral obligation to ensure that such suffering is never repeated through negligence or unpreparedness.
The tragedy of 2005 also revealed the strength of the human spirit. In the face of unimaginable loss, Pakistan witnessed an outpouring of solidarity. The Pakistan Army, civil administration, volunteers, and humanitarian organizations worked side by side in one of the most extensive rescue and relief efforts in the country’s history. Helicopters cut through clouds and mountainous terrain to deliver food, tents, and medicine to stranded survivors. Nations from across the world – including China, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and others – came forward with unprecedented assistance.
The creation of the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) was a defining response, signaling Pakistan’s intent to “build back better.” Through its efforts, hundreds of thousands of homes, schools, and hospitals were reconstructed – a monumental task that reshaped the region’s infrastructure. Yet, the journey of rehabilitation also exposed the limitations of planning, coordination, and long-term vision. Bureaucratic hurdles, corruption, and administrative delays slowed progress in some of the most vulnerable areas. These shortcomings serve as important lessons even two decades later.
Today, as the nation remembers its martyrs of the earthquake, the question is not only how much we have rebuilt but how much we have learned. The commemoration must renew the national commitment to disaster preparedness and resilient infrastructure. Pakistan sits astride active seismic zones; complacency is a luxury it cannot afford. Schools, hospitals, and homes in earthquake-prone regions must be constructed under strict adherence to seismic safety codes. Local governments, too, must invest in community-level disaster awareness programs so that citizens know how to act when nature turns hostile.
The 2005 earthquake also underscored the importance of psychosocial rehabilitation – a dimension often overlooked in disaster management. Tens of thousands of survivors, especially children, carried the trauma of loss for years. As climate-related disasters become more frequent, mental health support and community resilience must be woven into national recovery frameworks.
As flowers were laid at the graves in Balakot and prayers offered for the victims, the ceremony symbolized more than remembrance – it was an appeal to conscience. Two decades on, Pakistan must transform memory into preparedness, sorrow into strength, and tragedy into foresight.
The 2005 earthquake was a lesson paid for with immense human suffering. Honoring those who perished demands that we do not let their sacrifice fade into history. We owe it to the victims – and to future generations – to build a Pakistan where resilience is not born of tragedy, but of readiness, unity, and respect for life itself.