The Young and the Dead

- A father unable to speak, unable to cry, carrying body of a nearly 4-year boy in his trembling arms.

- A teenage boy crying of pain as rescuers try to break concrete that has sandwiched his lower body.

- A 9 year old boy in a school uniform, weeping without being able to speak anything except shouting; "My brother's in there, my brother's 'still' in there."

- A mother looks at the dead cold face of her young son and is not able to look back; starts screaming and breaks down with shock.

All of the above are some of the many scenes that have been terrifing the people of my country in the aftermath of the 7.6 scale earth-shake. The devastation caused by Saturday's earthquake has been so enormous that even I felt my eyes being unusually wet while watching the video footage on T.V.

The victims of Pakistan's worst natural calamity include more than 40,000 dead and nearly 50,000 injured. It's heart-shattering to know about 300 school children burried under debris of a Balakot primary school in one bulletin followed by another announcement declaring 1,500 boys missing in another college building collapse in Bagh.

I still remember when I was in London as Turkey mourned over thousands dead in an earthquake back in 1999. It was so terrifying to see the destruction, that I thanked GOD for saving me and my people of the calamity that had been the cause of so many human deaths.

Never, ever could have I imagined that the same could happen right here in Pakistan. The shattered buildings, perishing dead, heart-thumping crys, motionless hands, thirstless lips, empty faces and those rock-dry eyes are signs of what happens when GOD sends warnings to those who have lost His path. But, then I look at the innocent children who have been the main victims, and who were too young to do any wrong deeds. I end up giving up in the will of GOD, as we believe whatever He does, does it right.

May GOD bless all who have suffered from this tragedy including those who have lost their family, friends or loved ones and those of us, who He saved by a slight geographical difference.