The remains of a child who went missing during the 2005 Kashmir earthquake have been recovered more than two decades later in Balakot, bringing long-awaited closure to his family. The discovery was made during excavation work for the construction of a house, according to the child’s family.
The child, identified as five-year-old Jamal Shafiq, disappeared when the devastating earthquake struck on October 8, 2005, destroying homes across the region. Despite extensive searches at the time, his body was never found.
Family Finds Remains During Excavation
According to family members, Jamal Shafiq was trapped beneath the rubble after their house collapsed during the earthquake.
His father said the family searched extensively following the disaster but was unable to locate him. Believing he had died, they offered funeral prayers in absentia and eventually accepted that his remains might never be recovered.
The remains were unexpectedly discovered during excavation work for the construction of a new house at the family’s property.
Funeral Held After Discovery
The family said clothing was first uncovered during the excavation before the child’s remains were identified.
Following the recovery, funeral prayers were offered and Jamal Shafiq was laid to rest in a nearby cemetery.
Family Says Discovery Brings Long-Awaited Closure
Speaking after the burial, Jamal Shafiq’s father said the discovery had brought a measure of peace after years of uncertainty and grief.
He said the family had lived with the emotional burden of not knowing their son’s final resting place for more than two decades, and the recovery of his remains had finally allowed them to complete his burial.
The 2005 Kashmir earthquake was one of the deadliest natural disasters in Pakistan’s history, claiming tens of thousands of lives and leaving widespread destruction across northern Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
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