Are they celebrating our dead?

RAWALPINDI—Showing utter disregard to thesufferings of 3.3 million homeless, 77,000 injured and over 54,000 dead some members of Rawalpindi’s business community remain adamant to observe the eid with jubilation.
Lightning at various places particularly at the Commercial market, Saidpur road, Murree Road and some shops in Saddar has drawn revulsion from various segments of society who demanded stern action by the authorities.
The federal cabinet has already announced that Eid-ul-Fitr be celebrated without the traditional fanfare, to express solidarity with thousands who lost their loved ones and property in the Oct 8 earthquake.
However for some shopkeepers, making a quick buck seem more important than showing respect to the dead as they encroach upon the space in front of their shops and put on coloured lights to attract customers.
“Are they celebrating our dead?” asked a bitter Gul Zaman whose young son is in Holy Family hospital, while his wife and an elder son were killed in Garhi Dupatta in the horrific earthquake.
“My son has lost his mother and brother, my house which I took great pains to build with the help of my wife is now a rubble, all my savings gone, and here people are celebrating eid?” With thousands in the city from the quake affected areas, each with a new heart wrenching tale, only the stone-hearted can remain apathetic.
The owner of a mega mart in Commercial Centre said he had donated his part in the relief goods and there was nothing else he could do. “Life goes on, why the people are coming to buy?” he asked.
However the usual rush of people in shopping markets in the later part of Ramzan is far less than earlier years. “No I have neither bought any new clothes nor shoes for me or my family and we have decided to pay the money to the affectees in the camps,” said Mrs Mahjabeen.
The calamity which brought out the best in many also showed the ugly faces of others. While there were those who went out of the way to volunteer and purchase foods and clothing for the affectees, there were those who were involved in loot and plunder of relief goods.
“We have to reach out to those who are spending sleepless nights out in the cold, instead of spending money on illuminating our shops,” said Mohammad Younis, a volunteer working with Edhi and is back after spending two weeks in Balakot.
“How can even one think of joy or happiness amidst so much of misery and death, we are not humans anymore,” he added.—APP