Here is the story of  a very lucky man Shafiq. While his stone built two room house is completely raised to the ground he feel lucky because he and his family are alive. Shafiq says they are lucky because only 25 people in his small village died. The villagers feels lucky cause of the 80 odd homes two ( though badly damaged still stand. They can't believe there luck that they have drinking water and road access has been restored within 3 days. As they are lucky people they hope that they and their children will not go hungry and cold for many more nights.

Shafiq our cook returned today. A week earlier he had gone to his village[KASH-TARA] near Garhi Habib Ullah. Garhi Habib Ullah is between Manserha and Balakot on the way to Kagan. Shafiq's  village has been completely destroyed. Of the some 80 house only two though damaged have a roof
 
I  saw Shafiq after a  week. I was shocked to see him. He looked like beggar. He had lost weight and appeared completely shell shocked and was in a daze. In a week he had aged at least 10 years. Otherwise a alert and smart man.The last square meal he had was at Sehri on Saturday. Since then he has neither eaten properly nor slept properly.   His house was amongst the 75 houses that were destroyed in his village.
 
Shafiq  kept saying how lucky he and his family  was. [Allah ka shukar ha.....bara karam raha]  Only some 25  people in his village died.Mostly little children and old people. Up in the mountains preparation for winter were underway. In Shafiq's village almost every able body was out on the mountain side cutting dry grass.for the winter fodder. In any case none of the roofs were of concrete. Houses mostly had tin roofs and barns for animals had mud roofs. As the roofs came down many people while got badly injured did survive. The animals on whom the mud roofs caved in had higher mortality.
 
As the realisation of the magnitude of this catastrophe  dawned we  tried to do some thing.We  arranged with the help of our friend  for some basic immediate survival stuff. This included
 
Shelter Stuff. As tents were not available we sent old  thick curtains which can be used as ground sheets or be tied to some tree to make a rough shelter. We also sent 10 feet X 10 feet old carpet piece to be used as matting. In addition two blankets and chadders.

 
 Clothing. Most people have lost EVERY THING. Now that these people are spending nights out in the open ( as it happed it has already rained twice since the earth quack ....both time it was a hail storm.)they need extra warm clothes. Sweater, Jackets and even better warm Chadders and shawls. We sent what ever we could lay our hands on. But its best to send only relevant clothes. Sorting ...Shippment... distribution is all time consuming and difficult.
 
Food  We had packets made of dry food. Atta, Ghee, Lentils, powder milk, sugar, tea. Then latter realised and added salt, chillies and haldee.  We had the food rapped /sealed in plastic bags for  easy handling. But realised that the packing must be extra strong to with stand the rough journey. Weak bags will puncture and all will go waste.
 
 
 
Equipment While we needed to send spaded and building equipment we did not have time . We sent cooking utensils Match boxes and candles were also added. Next time we will send ropes and water cans.
 
 
 One packet was made for one house hold which was rapped in plastic  with all these things and then put in sacks. When it lands in Gharri habbi ullah people will swamp the truck. There will in most likely hood be a dog eat dog scramble. I will not be shocked nor devastated if the vehicle is stopped en-route and looted by those who have not eaten for three day. I hope one sack  reaches each per house hold. We have sent enough for 50 families.
 
The story of this village is the most cheerful one that I have heard so far. In places which were more urbanised  people were in shops , homes and offices. Children of course were in school. The initial shock were so vicious and strong.......that one jerk and the roof and walls just caved in. There was no time to run. In Bagh over a 1000 kids died in the school. All gone. The concrete roof caved in killing the lucky ones  and trapping some not so lucky. There was no equipment in this hilly town to cut through concrete and reach them. Most have since died . There cries neither reached us nor the Gods in the blue sky.   
 
As  land slides had disrupted the roads only on Monday did aid and rescue work start  News of other town is now reaching us. Muzzffrabad  the largest of all such town has hardly any  drinking water. Over 60% of all buildings destroyed. All buildings have suffered damage.Death toll is so high that people want to evacuate due to the rising stench from buried bodies. Balakot, Rawlakot and Badagram are more or less raised to the ground.
 
 
We  also sent two vehicles to Muzffrabad to evacuate families who are stranded there.
 
 As it is my (our)life is so complicated and tough  ............ consequently,I want to be associated with lucky people. I plan to take an active role in the rebuilding of Shafiq s  village.  I am still formulating my thoughts on this. My initial view is to put together a  town planners and  architect and get them to plan a healthy,functional and environmental friendly village with sanitation with prospects for growth.  Then with the help of the villagers and friends willing to donate TIME, MONEY or EXPERTISE fund the construction of the houses. In the Provide some morden equipment like block making machine.... buy cement and steel in bulk and with the  
 
The houses need to be up before the winter sets in which gives us is barely two month.  I am meeting  a Architect  tomorrow and a few more over the next 4 days. By Monday I will try and formulate a core group who will be willing to work on this rehabilitation project. Please let me know how you can contribute. Those who  would like to donate money please let me know the amount they can raise or want to contribute.  This will help me plan.I have no idea as to how much is required but one can do a simple simulation exercise. My guestimate is for the moment....Rs 500,000 per house means-------------------------for say 80 houses-----Rs 40,000,000 = $670,000
 
I wonder if pain will ease after building these houses.
 
 
Adnan Afaq Chief Executive Askari Investment Management Ltd Camp Office, First Floor 13 I F-7 Markaz Jinnah Super Market, Islamabad Off:   0092-51-2654035 Fax    0092-51-2654037