More than eight months after Pakistan was rocked by its greatest catastrophe in the shape of an earthquake, few signs of that calamity hang over the country as the government unveiled an ambitious new budget carrying a record rise in development spending. Indeed, on the face of it, the fallout from the earthquake seems to be over.

Many among Pakistan's ruling establishment would even say that President General Pervez Musharraf has been vindicated. After all, he was the one who boldly claimed after the quake that Pakistan was well prepared to manage the effects of the fallout, and criticism of his government's handling of the situation was no more than mere cynicism.

Questions such as how long it took for Musharraf to be alerted to the enormity of the damage or an initial sense of the scale of loss have hounded the government in the past, but are just not part of the ongoing discourse anymore, political or otherwise.

Official logic

Instead of focusing on the widespread loss endured by Pakistanis in the earthquake stricken parts of the country, the official logic seems to be one of carrying on and moving ahead aggressively to promote reconstruction as well as fresh construction across the country. Projects ranging from road networks to other bits of infrastructure are set to be promoted.

But the long-term scars on the survivors following the death of at least 73,000 people in the earthquake, will keep on pressing Pakistanis, both psychologically and physically. Musharraf's message of optimism in claiming that Pakistan is on the road to a new future contains both elements of exaggeration as well as unnecessary bravado.

In addition to periodic reports about the plight of the earthquake victims, such as delays in compensation payments, many have know they will have to live with their own physical handicaps or those of near and dear ones.

For the mountainous population of the earthquake zone, ideas ranging from special lavatories for handicapped people to providing employment for those without limbs, was never a challenge worth considering. But in the months that followed the earthquake, life for the handicapped has emerged as the most profound challenge for rehabilitation.

In the budget unveiled last week, there is indeed money allocated for rehabilitation of Pakistan's earthquake victims. But there's little by way of an accompanied plan to demonstrate a new push with a popular dimension for turning around the plight of the quake-struck region.

This must be built upon two equally vital challenges. On the one hand, a political push has to come by way of Pakistanis leaders working aggressively to rally local politicians and leaders of other interest groups as a plank for increasing the national commitment to supporting rehabilitation.

Lost tradition

Among Pakistan's most significant losses has been the loss of a once-valued tradition of much more voluntary work. This involved people of all ages. Across these age groups, however, there was a common bond by way of Pakistanis joining hands to support a common cause. But this is now a lukewarm trend except for the immediate outpouring of sympathy during national calamities.

On the other hand, Pakistanis have to see the beginning of a long-overdue revamp of key aspects of government, which is central to how the country is run. There is much scepticism widely shared over the failure of the government to reform the country in a way that the key basic services are smoothly delivered. From inefficiency across the lowest tiers of government to widespread corruption, Pakistan remains a country where pride among its citizens is in very short supply.

The earthquake was indeed a colossal national tragedy and the response from Pakistanis to that tragic moment was also unprecedented. But eight months later, the great enthusiasm shown by Pakistanis at the time seems to have waned.

In this continuing time of despair for many victims, the government could have done much better than to simply put on a brave face around budget time and pretend all is well.

All is still not well in that part of northern Pakistan and the part of Kashmir controlled by the country where the earthquake will long be remembered as an unprecedented catastrophe without any comparison to any other tragedy before this event.

Farhan Bokhari is a Pakistan-based commentator who writes on political and economic matters.