Chaos surrounds destruction site as relief operations underway
By Uzma Zafar

Five days on, way after the 48 hours mark, the usual time for survival under debris, the masses who had been sitting outside the Margala Towers, have almost lost hope of finding their loved ones, at least alive. Thus, they have stopped sitting on the pavement, lining the path to the destructed site, a product of a high level manmade disaster, as the main area has been long cordoned by the local cops and Forces. Many have simply disappeared into thin air and nobody knows where they’re gone.
However, it is up to the rescue teams to tell what’s going on at the place while consoling the masses crying at various corners. Talking to The Daily Mail, explaining the hopelessness of the masses all of a sudden, Dr. Noreen Malik of PIMS explained, “The people have been manipulating facts and raising false hopes of the masses who’s families are trapped here. Thus, media has also been promoting the false facts as in figures and facts.” She further urged the media to contact the medical staff only, working at the site or the respective hospitals where the survivors have been admitted, to get the real picture straight.
About the masses stuck up under the debris, she said that nothing could be said for certain as just the other day, 2 elderly ladies namely Mrs.Tariq and Bibi Jaan, a baby and mother were recovered from the debris, without a scratch whatsoever on their bodies and 8-9 others had been taken out, at different times of the day. However, she said that the expected survival rate was getting bleaker with every passing second. On the other hand, a Rapid-UK Aid worker, chatting exclusively to The Daily Mail, held, “We are searching and our operation would go on till we are absolutely certain that there are no more survivors buried within the debris. We would work voluntarily till the end.” However, she expressed here sorrow over the unpredictability of whether and the fact that there were no survivors or bodies found till Wednesday morning.
A visit to the destruction site of Margala Towers revealed smog and heavy machinery swiftly at work, with various cranes churning up walls and doors, throwing off bedsteads and sofa clothes on the way. With a racing heart as if there’s fire down below or the possibility of survivors has become impossible, it was revealed that CDA tractors were emitting smog and when inquired about the use of heavy machinery that was previously prohibited for the fear of crushing survivors in the way, Arshad of the Pak Army explained, “It is being done on the directives of the international rescue workers assisting us, who, after using powerful detectors, have said that the place is safe to be bulldozed now.” He briefed that a body was recovered at 9:00p.m. in the morning but recoveries were slow.
Later on in the afternoon, dead bodies were beginning to show and thus, the operation’s pace was hastened. A visit to the Poly Clinic brought sorrow over the fact that our small city lacks resources for dealing with natural disasters like the one we are facing. A youngster in cast walked over his mother’s shoulder while survivors kept gushing in and out of the place, like bees on and away from the swarm. The paramedics which were pleasant at the destruction site and generally calm despite what they have to go through, at the hospitals they were rude and plain irritated by the site of masses coming in for inquiries about their near and dear ones, as if they had to provide out of the way assistance. At PIMS, the doctors refused to meet for they were busy in giving protocol to some Minister briefing the foreign delegates. Some things would never change!
If we look around at large, the Capitaliites won’t forget the time they are facing these days, in face of the earth shattering disaster around. Rain that used to be a joyous sight, now brings less joy and more pain for the ones who’re stuck down at the Margala Tower’s rubble. One’s heart breaks to see the otherwise cheerful faces of the Capitaliites, jumping around here and there in glee, indifferent to the miseries of the world, especially when the blissful natural shower came along, living their hasty, lavish lives, suddenly shocked by the sight of falling blissful rain, shocked for the victims of quake for whom we don’t know if are alive under debris or not!
Relief operations are high on the other hand. Relief camps have been set up all around. Philanthropists are devoting their wealth generously in the relief funds for the quake victims. If there’s something good that this disaster has done, it has bound us all together. Let’s fight it till the end, hand in hand!