Ghosts have always intrigued humans; they form major characters in Hollywood story lines, reside unseen in the upper stories of our house, are found in tales told by our elders or glimpsed in vacant backyards. But the ghosts that haunt us the worst are of unresolved criminal cases, target killings of both the statesman and the average citizen, of unfound missing persons and of ruins that speak of faulty and sub-standard material.

One such ghost is the Margalla Tower building in the capital, which collapsed in the Oct 8 2005 earthquake killing 70 residents. The once 10-storey complex which was built and owned by Ramzan Khokhar, lays deserted six years after the tragedy struck, having become a sanctuary for junkies. The supernatural and humans mingle in the vicinity and laugh at the natural order of things to take place which would require for the legal bodies to compensate the residents of the building.

In total, Rs1.75 billion was to be paid to owners of the apartments, however, a change in the higher ups of the Supreme Court in Musharraf’s era reshuffled the decision, announcing for Khokhar to be paid a sum of Rs43 million since he was also an owner of four apartments in the building. Iftikhar Chaudry’s verdict of denying Khokhar this ‘compensation’ did not bear fruit as CDA argued in his favour, which could said to be a ruse for him to flee the country. Therefore, Oct 8 should be celebrated as the ghost day, in which we should reminisce the conscience that we once had, the remnants of which linger here and there, eluding the laws – sensed by some once in a blue moon, denied by most due to sheer terror. 

It was one of the major tragedies that struck the Capital on that tranquil morning of October 8, 2005 – an earthquake that shook not only the buildings but the spirits of the people living in them. While many more lives were lost in the destruction, it was the dampening of spirits, the end of the trust of people and the death of the national conscience that hurt us most. The victims ask, they inquire, their pleads fall on deaf ears, and the guilty remain at large.It was on the sixth anniversary of the earthquake that Islamabad remembered its dead. Wreaths were laid, vigils held, but most importantly questions asked. Six years on, forget the culprits being brought to justice; the half destroyed structure has not been taken down. It stands there serving as a grim reminder of a corrupt conscience of those who built it and a numb response of those who we call our leaders.

Ground Zero today stands as a beacon of hope and memory; to not only Americans but much of the Western world. It was an act of terror suspected to be executed by al Qaeda; as a result two countries went down the drain. Margalla Towers today stands as a reminder of corruption and death; to only the citizens of Islamabad. It was an act of dishonesty and fraud built by Ramzan Khokhar, the result? He lives in Dubai while, besides those who lost dear ones, everyone is oblivious.

It is not about a dilapidated building, the complex continues to serve as a reminder of how we have become used to being robbed of respect, our rights and then of worldly possession. The residents who lost their loved ones can perhaps never be compensated by the authorities that are supposed to provide the average citizen a sense of security to say the least.

But in this case, anything but the obvious was enacted. The civic body helped the responsible escape while the law remained blind. The media continues to show a recap of the injustices carried out, but there is so much that the writer, the columnist and the analyst can continue to do. At the end of the day, the public awaits a hand that will signal the words ‘you will be taken care of.’

This article is a joint contribution by Siddique Humayun and Nishaa Ishtiak.