Pakistanis raise funds and spotlight quake devastation in US
New York: Pakistani-American professionals and students held a candle light vigil on Tuesday night to put the spotlight on the earthquake that killed nearly 79,000 in Pakistan and over 1,300 in India. Tuesday was significant as it was the first monthly anniversary of the devastating quake that rendered millions homeless in Kashmir.
The earthquake, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, which had hit the northern regions of Pakistan and India on October 8th has been pronounced as being more devastating than the tsunami which had hit south and south east Asia in December last year. Bilal Khan of Developments in Literacy (DIL), an organization working on promoting education in remote Pakistani areas, said: “The aim of the vigil was to create awareness about the quake in the media. Initially there was a lot of coverage but that died out quickly. The fact remains that in the quake-hit areas people are still dying everyday.”
Samar Shaheryar who works for JP Morgan said: “Despite all the efforts and the fund raising globally, the second wave of deaths will begin because of the cold, lack of medicines, food and clothing. The screams of thousands of people are going unheard in the mountains of Kashmir. The natural disaster is turning into a man-made disaster now.” She also made a comparison between the ‘warm’ temperature of New York and the cold that has begun to set in on the mountains. She added: “Nearly 79,000 people have already died and the casualties will mount as the temperature drops and it starts to snow.”
Pakistani singer Fakr-e-Alam, who had come to the US to raise funds for quake relief described the pitiable conditions in the area: “People in the mountainous areas will not survive up to 15 feet of snow without shelter. I lived in the region with a team of volunteers and saw children dying in front of their families as they could not be pulled out of the rubble.” Alam made an appeal to the people to arrange for psychiatrists so that the traumatized people could be healed and brought back to reality. He said: “There is a lot of pain there and people have lost all hope.”
The Chief Investment Officer of US funding organization Acumen Fund, David Kyle, who had recently come back from a trip to Pakistan said: “We are a New York based non profit and are looking at sustainable solutions to problems of health, housing and water in Pakistan and India. I am here to show solidarity for the quake victims.” American-Pakistani comrade Shahid, who has set up an organization -Pakistan USA Freedom Forum- to fight for the rights of migrants, was highly critical of the Pakistani government as well as international aid efforts. He said: “I have come here to protest because neither the West not international NGOs have not done much for the victims.”
The vigil attracted curious onlookers and many students. Jamaican student Shaneka spotted the event while strolling in the park and decided to join as she had heard about the tragedy. Mahwish, who is a volunteer with the United Nations, also joined as she felt she was doing something positive for her country. University of Columbia journalism student Rachel Jones also joined the vigil to make a radio assignment. |
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