The land of Gilgit-Baltistan holds utmost significance from its geo-strategic value to its geo-economics. More importantly, historically the region has been the centre of attention for many empires, particularly the British and Chinese.
During the Han dynasty (202 BCE – 220 CE), the Chinese extended their market to central Asia through the Silk Road Trade route, the road passed by the region now known as Gilgit-Baltistan, connecting China with the Indian sub-continent and the Persian empire. The seventh century was marked as the Tang dynasty engaged in several military campaigns to secure the trade route, including a battle with the Tibetan empire.
The resilient infrastructure after checking feasibility and environmental impact assessment is utterly a need and must be addressed in every development project. The eco-tourism promotion is impossible for GB and Pakistan, and without balancing the development with an ecosystem, the present and future will remain at stake. More avenues for renewable energy sources must be explored and studied as the region has potential water bodies and the Indus Rivers pass through GB. Maximum power could be generated and electric bikes or vehicles should be encouraged in such regions
The region had been a site for power struggles for local power and empires vying for dominance in the region. In 1877, the Gilgit Agency was established by British India following the “Great Game” with the Russian Empire, the purpose being to oversee their interests in the region, and Captain John Biddulph was the first political agent to Gilgit.
In 1935 under the lease agreement, Hari Singh, ruler of the Dogra dynasty signed a lease agreement according to which the region came under direct control of the British Raj following potential threats from Soviet aggression. With the partition of India, the case of GB became more complex as the region now has a disputed status under the UN charter. However, the Gilgit Scouts, led by the architect of the liberation movement of GB, Colonel Mirza Hasan Khan, rebelled against Dogras rule and finally, GB declared allegiance to Pakistan.
Since Independence the fate of GB has been a mystery and remains unsung. The political identity of GB is disputed, creating an identity crisis and marginalization. The region has been home to vast natural resources from its snow-capped mountains in which nestle globally invaluable minerals and glaciers, to its rich biodiversity and unmatched natural beauty, all these attributes make GB “Heaven on Earth”.
The region, due to its natural beauty and unparalleled landscape, attracts billions of tourists every year. In 2022 according to GB’s government, more than two million tourists visited GB. Also in 2023, the tourism department reported that over 9,000 foreign tourists, including paragliders and trekkers in open zones, explored GB, and the revenue collected through issuing permits to climbers was Rs 40.5 million.\
The boost and unprecedented surge of the tourism industry is mainly driven by the region’s peaceful and secure environment, the construction of the Jaglot-Skardu road, the Nalter expressway, and the Gilgit-Ghizer expressway, and the upgradation of Skardu Airport to an International Airport. However, all these developments are linked to global climate change phenomena. The region’s topography is vulnerable and prone to natural disasters like flash floods, mudflow, landsliding, rising temperature, and the rapid meltdown of glacier bodies in GB threatening the local communities, infrastructure, and biodiversity.
A study reveals that over the past few decades, the glacier bodies ahrunk in size by 10-15 percent in GB. One prominent incident was landsliding in Attabad, Hunza in 2010 which resulted in the blocking of the Hunza River flow, the event displaced thousands and submerged villages.
A UNDP report states that GB hosts more than 7000 glaciers, and over the past few decades the process of melting of these glaciers has increased, leading to the formation of glacier akes. Till now GB hosts about 3044 glacier lakes out of which UNDP declares 33 glaciers lakes “the most vulnerable” and which could affect 7.1 million people in GB and KPK.
The most important and strategic roads in GB, which are the Karakoram Highway and the Jaglot-Skardu road are still vulnerable to natural disasters. Many incidents of natural disasters have occurred claiming numerous casualties and bringing supply chains throughout GB under suspension raising demand for essential commodities like daily necessities or kitchen needs and fuel, subsequently the prices of such commodities hike.
The vulnerability of the Jaglot-Skardu road, the 167 km long road which connects Baltistan division with the rest of the province and with Pakistan, hampers the region’s development pathways, the increased risk of travelling through the road, and reports of several incidents now and then also raise concerns among locals and tourists
There are treacherous points on the Karakoram highway like Kohistan and Tatta Pani, and on the Jaglot-Skardu road like Malopa, and Shingus area in the Rundu subdivision, where frequent incidents of landslides and floods cause massive traffic disruption and casualties. Unless the development in GB is centred on the region’s topographic challenges and climate, the infrastructure network across GB will remain a death well and remain full of risks to travel.
Another incident occurred at Hassan Abad, Hunza, where flash floods due to glacier melting devastated the Hassan Abad Bridge halting CPEC trade activities and intercity traffic suspension. Such worse challenges have to be addressed timely and measures or actions must be taken in eco-friendly ways to avoid doing any damage to the natural environment of GB so that the development could be sustainable for the region.
The climate change-related incidents in GB challenge the schools and health centres across GB; in 2022, the flash floods in the Diamer division in GB washed away 18 schools either destroyed or left unusable, impacting the education of more than 3000 children according to locals.
According to the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA), the 2020 and 2022 flash floods collectively damaged over 25 health facilities across the region. This includes primary health centres, rural health centres, and dispensaries. The education department of GB reported that the 2022 flash floods affected over 40 educational institutions. The damages ranged from destruction to partial damages that rendered the buildings unsafe for use. Approximately 10,000 students were affected by the destruction of these schools.
In Gilgit-Baltistan development is linked to climate change, and any natural disaster in the region thwarts the region’s path to a resilient future. The nexus of both is very significant to understand and reach a valid conclusion based on precautionary measures and viable measures so that any development in GB remains undamaged or safe from climate change events like floods or landslides
The resilient infrastructure after checking feasibility and environmental impact assessment is utterly a need and must be addressed in every development project. The eco-tourism promotion is impossible for GB and Pakistan, and without balancing the development with an ecosystem, the present and future will remain at stake. More avenues for renewable energy sources must be explored and studied as the region has potential water bodies and the Indus Rivers pass through GB. Maximum power could be generated and electric bikes or vehicles should be encouraged in such regions.
Plantation drives should be made compulsory at educational institutions and other sectors, also deforestation must be curbed and dealt with an iron hand. Reforms like environmental tax or banning non-biodegradable items must be tabled and implemented. Climate change discourse must be made a part of the national curriculum and we as a nation should think beyond traditional security challenges.
