It has been 21 years since the devastating October 8, 2005 earthquake struck Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, leaving behind one of the deadliest natural disasters in Pakistan’s history.The 7.6-magnitude earthquake, which struck on October 8, 2005, killed more than 86,000 people and affected an estimated 56 percent of the population of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Muzaffarabad and Balakot were among the worst-hit areas, with thousands of homes, schools, hospitals and public facilities destroyed or severely damaged. 

The disaster had a profound impact on the region’s health, education, water supply, drainage and communications infrastructure. Around 53 percent of AJK, including Muzaffarabad, was severely affected. The massive loss of life was compounded by poor construction practices and the absence of earthquake-resistant building standards. Schools, colleges and universities were particularly badly affected, resulting in the deaths of a large number of students and teachers and the loss of an entire generation of educated young people. 

Over the years, reconstruction efforts have focused heavily on rebuilding educational and health facilities. According to official figures, 1,620 of the 2,718 educational institutions damaged in the earthquake have been completed, while work on 501 projects remains underway. In the health sector, 119 of 160 reconstruction projects have been completed, while construction continues on another 21 projects. Officials said that, at the request of the AJK government, the Prime Minister provided Rs1 billion in June 2026 for reconstruction.

The funding is expected to help complete 67 educational institutions currently under construction by December 2026. Despite significant progress, the reconstruction programme remains incomplete. Officials estimate that approximately Rs44 billion is still required to complete outstanding reconstruction projects in the earthquake-affected areas of AJK. As Pakistan observes the 21st anniversary of the tragedy, the October 8 earthquake remains a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of natural disasters and the importance of earthquake-resistant construction, disaster preparedness and resilient public infrastructure.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)