MUZAFFARABAD: The 16th anniversary of victims of the deadly earthquake of October 8, 2005, is being observed across Pakistan including AJK.

The day dawned with special prayers in mosques for the martyrs. People prayed for the prosperity of the country.

A memorial ceremony took place in Muzaffarabad to pay tribute to the victims of the earthquake. Prime Minister AJK Sardar Abdul Qayum Niazi and his cabinet ministers attended the ceremony.

The AJK PM laid a floral wreath on the memorial of the quake victims, while a one-minute silence was observed.

The 2005 earthquake claimed thousands of lives besides causing massive damage to infrastructure especially in Azad Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

One minute silence was observed at all district headquarters at 08.54 am. The main ceremony will be held at university ground Muzaffarabad today.

In September 2019, the strong earthquake of 5.8-magnitude brought disasters to different parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The quake hit some urban and rural parts of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) including Muzaffarabad, Kotli and many other scattered places.

At least 40 people died and more than 500 injured as a result of an earthquake. Around 6,000 houses were destroyed completely, while 7100 cattle farms have been damaged in the quake.