Nation mourn the deaths, salutes the unsung heroes
By Akhtar Jamal

ISLAMABAD—Grieving thousands of deaths caused by ruthless and merciless earthquake the nation today also payed rich tribute to thousands of unknown national and international heroes who have been engaged in the service of humanity irrespective of religion, cast and creed.
“We salute the unknown heroes both national and international who are doing so much for this nation that history will never forget them”, a senior doctor at Islamabad’s prestigious hospital said.
“Pakistanis are not ungrateful nation and we will always remember the sacrifices of the heroes of humanity working round-the-clock without any proper accommodation and food for themselves”, the doctor who himself refused to be identified told this correspondent.
Thousands of volunteers, doctors, medical staff, students, teachers from Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan, NWFP and Azad Kashmir flooded the devastated areas within hours of killer-quake while British, Turkish, Chinese, French, American, Russian, Japanese, Germans and hundreds of other foreign workers are busy scanning the signs of life and pulling the dead ones from beneath the collapsed houses, schools, offices and shops.
Those who are lucky enough to get their beloved sons, daughters, fathers or mothers by these unknown heroes have no words to appreciate the services rendered by the foreign relief workers specialized in the services of humanity.
“We are indebted to these unknown heroes, Turkish, British, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Americans and dozens of other nationals who have dared and risked their own lives in this unprecedented task”, the relative of young boy recovered after 90 hours from the rubbles of Islamabad’s only collapsed building, Margalla Towers, shouted.
“We owe a lot to both our national and international heroes who unlike some selfish rulers, egocentric politicians and money-making bureaucrats refused to be identified and continued their uninterrupted task of saving human lives since October 8 when the unforgiving quake hit Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.
In Muzzafarabad, Balakot, Bagh, Manshera, Islamabad and Shanglla many more have similar admirations for the unknown heroes of armed forces and private volunteers who served them after struggling two to three days without any proper food and shelter for themselves.
“These unknown heroes have been working here day and night, under the sun and rain, in candle lights and darkness, without food and water for themselves yet they refuse to halt their contribution to the humanity”, recalls Shafiq Mohammad who lost at least 16 of his family members in Balakot but was lucky to find that his innocent son, age seven, was recovered from their house.
This unparalleled and unmatched spirit of services to the humanity have moved many Pakistanis who now agree that selfless angles have not yet abandoned this otherwise selfish world.
“These anonymous heroes truly deserve the Salute of the Nation” said a housewife in Islamabad and suggested that Pakistanis should also be trained to serve the humanity elsewhere. She recalled “My son was frightened by repeated shocks in Islamabad and wanted to leave the city for a safe place but when he watched the unmatched contributions of these unsigned heroes who left their own families to serve our trapped people and pick up the bodies, he decided to stay back and join the relief works.
Observers say that this country has not witnessed such a national spirit ever since its creation and could not image that the nation apparently alienated and at odds could present this picture of camaraderie and solidarity.
Except few politicians and publicity-hunger NGO leaders almost whole nation stood united and integrated during this hour of crisis and hundreds of women, children, men of all age and from all walk of life tried to race against each other to help those who survived.
The tireless services to humanity and life-style of few but most dedicated and distinguished angles such as Abdul Sattar Edhi and late Hakim Mohammad Saeed has changed many young and old in this country which has suffered a lot in recent years. This nation today has witnessed so many selfless heroes from within that hopeless people have r-gained strength to survive and re-emerge once again.
But it is only hoped that publicity-hunger rulers, opportunist politicians, unkind feudalist lords, cruel land grabbers, ruthless plunderers and heartless characters of this nation would also learned some lessons from these noble and selfless heroes who despite being unidentified have won the hearts and minds of not only Pakistanis but the whole mankind and surely of the Lord of the worlds.
We salute you, The Unknown Heroes, acknowledging your great services and promise you to follow your mission to save human lives irrespective of religion, cast and creed.

—The writer is Editor-in-Chief of PPA