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Facing Climate Change in Gilgit-Baltistan: From Fragility to Resilience

By   Syed Shamsuddin PERCHED on the roof of the world, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) is home to some of the planet’s loftiest peaks and the largest concentration of glaciers outside the polar regions. This breathtaking landscape, however, is also one of the most climate-fragile frontiers on Earth. In recent years, the region has experienced unsettling changes: unseasonal rains, cloudbursts of alarming intensity, and devastating Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs). These events are no longer rare anomalies; they are becoming a new normal that threatens lives, livelihoods, cultural heritage, and vital infrastructure such as the Karakoram Highway. The Changing Landscape Rising temperatures are accelerating glacier melt and altering the timing of river flows, creating both sudden flood risks and seasonal water shortages. Winter rains at higher elevations, storms in off-seasons, and cloudbursts that overwhelm local systems are disrupting the traditional calendars of farming and daily life. ...
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The Making of Lakes in Ghizer: Lessons from a Century of Floods and Natural Dams

By   Syed Shamsuddin The History and Dynamics of Lakes in Ghizer: With Reference to the Recent Tali Das Lake The recent flood that created a lake at Tali Das has generated wide speculation and concern. Communities are debating whether the lake will burst, threatening lives and infrastructure, or whether it will gradually dissipate as several others have in the past. Although concrete remedial action has been limited, the anxiety is widespread. To put the matter in perspective, it is crucial to review both the process through which lakes form in Ghizer and the history of similar events over the last century . How Lakes Form in Ghizer The mountainous terrain of Gilgit-Baltistan, and Ghizer District in particular, is deeply prone to geological instability. The process of lake formation here follows a recurring pattern: Cloudbursts and Glacial Outbursts: Heavy rainfall or sudden melting of glaciers generates massive floods in mountain streams ( nalas ). Debris Flow: These ...
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Shutting the Gates: How the New Border Pass Policy Marginalizes the Many

By   Syed Shamsuddin The Border Pass System and the Legacy of NATCL The Border Pass System in Gilgit-Baltistan is not a privilege but a lifeline. Its very purpose—born of the region’s harsh geography and fragile economy—has always been to empower marginalized mountain communities by offering them access to modest-scale trade with neighboring Xinjiang. For decades, this system provided relief, dignity, and opportunity where few alternatives existed. NATCL: The Early Framework In 1967, under the first Barter Trade Protocol, the Northern Areas Traders Cooperative Limited (NATCL) was created in Gilgit as the sole organizer of border trade with Kashgar. Goods traded under this scheme were exempt from duties and taxes by the Central Board of Revenue through SRO No. 2(1)/70 dated January 1, 1970. For nearly two decades, NATCL facilitated regulated barter caravans, issuing border passes exclusively to its members. This arrangement—however limited—recognized the right of local traders...
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World Humanitarian Day Reflections: Courage in Danyore, Compassion in Rawooshan

By   Syed Shamsuddin Danyore’s Martyrs and Rawooshan’s Shepherds: Living Testaments to Humanitarian Spirit On the night of 10th/11th August 2025 , Danyore was struck by a tragedy that will remain etched in the collective memory of Gilgit-Baltistan. In the stillness of midnight, when the valley lay wrapped in slumber, its youth were awake — struggling to safeguard the community’s lifeline: the historic irrigation channel of Manogah nullah. It was a mission born out of necessity, for this channel nourished the fields, orchards, and households of Central Danyore. Without it, life itself would wither. But destiny was merciless. A sudden landslip thundered down the mountain, engulfing these sons of the soil. Seven young men — brave, selfless, and determined — embraced martyrdom , while others were left injured. Their sacrifice was not for wealth, nor for recognition, but for the survival of their people. They embodied the truest essence of humanitarianism: to risk one’s own life for the...
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Catching the Rain: A National Strategy for Water Security in Pakistan

By   Syed Shamsuddin Harnessing the Monsoon: Why Pakistan Must Launch a Large-Scale Rainwater Damming Project in the South Pakistan is witnessing an era of unprecedented monsoon rainfall , intensified by climate change. While these downpours bring much-needed water to an increasingly arid country, they also unleash destructive floods, erode agricultural land, and leave behind devastation, especially in the southern regions of Sindh and Balochistan . These provinces, despite having vast tracts of sparsely populated, dry land, are among the most vulnerable to both water scarcity and rain-induced disasters . In this context, Pakistan must launch a bold and visionary rainwater harvesting initiative—constructing thousands of rainwater dams and catchment reservoirs across its southern plateau. The goal must not merely be flood control, but water sustainability, groundwater recharge, ecological revival , and climate resilience . Learning from Saudi Arabia’s Visionary Model Saudi A...
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Judge Less, Love More: Honoring the Legacy of Judge Frank Caprio

By   Syed Shamsuddin Honoring Judge Frank Caprio: A Legacy of Compassion and Humanity Judge Frank Caprio, the beloved American jurist often referred to as “the kindest judge in the world,” left behind not only a distinguished legal career but also a message that resonates deeply with humanity: “Judge less, love more.” For decades, Judge Caprio served as the Chief Municipal Judge in Providence, Rhode Island. His court, made famous through the television program Caught in Providence, became a symbol of justice blended with compassion. Millions of people across the world were moved as they watched him listen intently to those who came before him—ordinary citizens facing traffic violations, parking fines, or other minor offenses. But what made his courtroom different was not the law itself, but the way he humanized it. Judge Caprio’s decisions reflected a rare understanding: behind every ticket or violation, there is a human story. A struggling single parent rushing to work, an i...
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Nature Knows No Mercy: A Chronicle of Avoidable Tragedies

By   Syed Shamsuddin  A Wake-Up Call Ignored — A Broader Reflection on Negligence, Nature, and National Accountability. The recent anecdote shared by Dr. Fakhrul Islam, and thoughtfully relayed via WhatsApp by Karamat Hussain Raja a month back, is far more than a witty reminiscence from the past. It is a mirror held up to the present—a powerful, albeit tragic, commentary on the way we continue to ignore nature’s warnings and encroach upon the spaces that were never meant for human settlement. The disaster in Swat, though only the most recent in a long series of similar catastrophes, calls for deeper introspection, not just about a single flood or region, but about a nationwide culture of administrative negligence and environmental disregard. Dr. Islam’s anecdote features the late Crown Prince of Swat, Miangul Aurangzeb, whose sharp wit was underscored by a profound understanding of natural justice. His fictional exchange with the rivers of Swat was not merely clever storytelli...
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