Pakistani earthquake

Over 3 million people are facing another harsh winter in Pakistan’s northern regions, a year on from the earthquake according to Oxfam Scotland.

An estimated 86,000 people lost their lives in what is the biggest South Asian earthquake to date. And still, the aid and relief isn’t reaching the people in need.

“We believe that Scotland has came together to help the victims of the earthquake but many people are still in dire need of our help. This winter will be more harrowing that the last for those that have lost their homes,” said Oxfam Scotland co-ordinator Beth Hacking.

The Asian community in Edinburgh is also becoming more frustrated with the lack of progress.

Sajad Asam is the head Imam of the Edinburgh Central Mosque. He lost his father and two uncles in his hometown of Mussafrabad, one of the hardest hit areas of Pakistan.

He said: “A year has went past and nothing has been done. There was nothing left of our family village when I visited Pakistan last year. I returned this year and nothing has changed. People are still struggling to survive.”

The latest Oxfam survey found that of seventeen villages hit by the earthquake, nearly all of the residents were living and surviving in tents.

The Pakistani Government has also been heavily criticised by aid officials over corruption allegations. President Prevez Musharraf has been known for keeping foreign aid for his own purposes in the past.

Muslim charity Islamic Relief disagrees. “So far we have helped over 1 million homeless people,” says aid worker Rabia Hussein. “We are working closely with other charities like Oxfam to ensure the aid reaches the people and not the Government”

Despite these negativities, the Indian and Pakistani community of Edinburgh have worked together to gather aid and haven’t stopped. Sajad Asam has joined forces with the local Sikh and Hindu temples to help raise more money. But he still thinks more could be done.

“The media has stopped showing the aftermath of the earthquake on the news so people just forget about it and think the situation is on the mend.” Sajad added.
“If the situation is to getter better, then we all have to work together.”