Pakistan Terrorism Survivors Network

sara mobeen is a student at theinternational islamic university at islamabad. she was badly injured in thetwin suicide attacks in the university on 20th october 2009.

the extent of trauma can be seen by the fact that it has taken her over twoyears and lots of persuasion to write her story.

may Allah help us all to overcome this menace of extremism that we are facedwith in Pakistan aamin

if you have any comments or want to send her a message these will be passed onto sara mobeen.

thank you sara, our prayers, and support for you and your friends will always be there.

True Story of a Blast Victim

SAYRA MOBEEN

Student BBA (Honors)

Islamic International University Islamabad

Themorning of 20 0ctober 2009 was delightful and astonishing for me not for the country;I was happy to go to classes for my studies and be with my friends. Ignoringthe years of unending dilemma of Pakistan facing the threat of terrorism; that everyface showed pain did not matter to me.

Iam not a keen follower of the news, and that is why I could not feel the painpeople faced by being in a bomb blast, or of losing a loved one in a terroristattack.

Thetwin blasts in my University that day changed my life, as it was the first strikeon women students in Islamabad. This incident left deep effect on my life.Bringing me face to face with a disaster which in its wake brought a lot ofchallenges for me.

SadlyI am a victim of that incident, and have been lucky to survive to tell my story,and look at life in a different perspective.

Iremember that day after classes I came back in my hostel room at about 2:45 pm.My friend Umme Kalsoom came to my room and asked me to accompany her to the cafeteria,so I got up and we left.

Wewent to the cafeteria fruit shop but they had sold out the fruit etc. I don’tknow why we were in hurry that day to go in the café, as we both ignored our classfellows who were sitting outside the café asking us to join them, and entered themain hall of the cafeteria.

Webought salad and some other eatables and sat inside the café on the left sideof the hall, we still did not join our friends outside! We realized that we hadnot bought soft drinks so I went and bought these.

AsI reached near the fountain in the hall, on my way back to our table, I suddenlyheard a dreadful sound, and saw lots of smoke; my ears were deafened. I felt asif I had been hit by something forcefully. I was disoriented and fell down. Thepain made me realize I was hurt and I could feel the pain on my body, arms, legs,forehead and chest. Later I found that the major injuries I received were on mychest.

Humblethanks to Almighty Allah that I was in my senses and tried to walk away fromthe cafeteria to save myself, but could not. I then saw my friends coming back tolook for me; my shirt was full of blood which was coming from the wounds on myhead and chest; when Umme Kulsoom  shesaw me in this critical condition she started crying.

Iasked Umme Kulsoom to look for my cell phone which I lost in this melee so Icould call my family, she asked a female employee of café to look after mewhile she went to look for help.

Iwas feeling afraid because of the blast not for the pain or my injuries. The caféstaff told me I had severe injuries so I should go to the hospital, and triedto put me in a taxi, I refused because I did not want to go alone by taxi. Thestaff then left me and walked away, which hurt me more. I missed my family andfriends and started to cry.

Inthe meanwhile my friends came looking for me, and picked me up, I was in greatpain, and they took me to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. The doctorsdecided to undertake surgery because of the nature of my injuries. I was very afraidbecause I knew my family was not with me, and I did not know what would be theresult of the operation. But that is perhaps what saved my life.

Afterinitial treatment in the PIMS and in view of the nature of my injuries, I wassent to the Combined Military Hospital at Mangla Cantonment for treatment. Iunderwent treatment at Mangla and suffered lots of pain and surgicalinterventions, for approximately four months. During this period my family andI suffered a lot, as they had to arrange for a place to live at Mangla, andcommute from Abbottabad to Mangla regularly.

Myinjuries were similar to the injuries that soldiers receive in the battle field.The doctors at Mangla took great pains to remove the pieces of shrapnel and otherstuff in my body, but even then, they could not remove all, and somenon-life-threatening pieces of the material that was used in the suicidejacket, are still in my body and will remain in me for my life. It hurts attimes, but at least I am alive.

AsI said I did not pay attention to news of bomb blasts when I saw it ontelevision or read about this in the newspapers, therefore I could not assess thepain of others; especially those who suffered during terrorist or suicideattacks.

Since my ordeal, I can recognize the pain and difficulties of survivors and victims’like me, and Allahmdolliah I can empathize with them and help them in theirrecovery from trauma.

This unpleasant incident did not close the door of life on me; it showed me the other and pleasant direction of life. I am happy, and grateful to Allah that Iam passing my life normally, thanks to my family, friends, and many otherpeople who helped me recover, and this has strengthened my belief in the sayingthat, “obstacles come in life to polish one, or make one like a diamond”.