The people of Pakistan feel proud of their army.

It was a moment when the Pakistan Army stood with the nation.

It was a moment when the nation stood with the Pakistan Army.

On 8 October 2005, at 8:50 a.m., a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck with its epicenter in the mountains of Kashmir, shaking the region for about 60 seconds and causing catastrophic destruction across a vast area. Buildings collapsed, roads cracked, mountainsides gave way, and entire villages were flattened. More than 73,000 people died, over 128,000 were injured, and more than three million were left homeless. Schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, and communication networks were destroyed, making it one of South Asia’s deadliest earthquakes. The Pakistan Army became one of the first major responders: military units acted within minutes, including soldiers who had themselves survived the earthquake, while General Pervez Musharraf ordered a full-scale mobilization. Troops were redeployed, helicopters were deployed, field hospitals established, engineering units sent out, and logistical resources rapidly redirected. Soldiers reached areas isolated by landslides, rescued survivors, administered first aid, and carried injured people to safety. Specialized search-and-rescue teams worked continuously with equipment, rescue dogs, and thermal cameras, digging through concrete and twisted metal, entering confined spaces, and lifting heavy debris. Some soldiers were injured or killed, yet rescue efforts continued, including the recovery of children, families, and other survivors trapped for days, while acts such as providing water through gaps in rubble offered hope amid the devastation.

After the immediate rescues, the Army organized extensive relief operations, establishing camps that supplied food, clean water, blankets, medicines, and shelter to displaced people. Field hospitals provided healthcare through doctors and paramedics who performed surgeries, treated injuries and infections, delivered babies, and supported traumatized survivors. Trucks transported relief supplies, helicopters delivered food to remote villages, and soldiers carried necessities by hand and went door to door to reach people inaccessible by vehicles. The response then continued into rehabilitation and reconstruction rather than ending with emergency relief. Army engineers cleared debris, rebuilt roads and bridges, restored communications, constructed temporary shelters, built schools and hospitals, helped farmers resume agricultural work, and provided vocational training to people who had........

© Minute Mirror