October 29, 2005 A nation discovers its soul By Sardar Aseff Ahmad Ali (Printed in DAWN, A Pakistani Daily published from Karachi, ) A PART of Pakistan died on October 8 in an act of God. Chunks of Kashmir and the NWFP simply slid to extinction. A devastation beyond any reckoning bore upon our country. The death toll may well soar to over 100,000, with as many injured, and over three million made homeless. Hamlets. villages, towns and cities were turned to rubble. Bureaucrats blundered, generals erred, spin doctors lied and excuses were galore. Public criticism was considered unreasonable.