Window to Gilgit-Baltistan

By  Syed Shamsuddin IN AN ERA illuminated by scientific breakthroughs, technological prowess, and expanding institutional authority, humanity confronts a subtle yet grave paradox: unprecedented progress alongside a steady erosion of authentic human values. Credentials, offices, wealth, and influence have multiplied, yet the moral essence of being truly human is increasingly marginalized. History and moral philosophy, however, remain unequivocal—the highest distinction a human being can attain is not power or prestige, but fidelity to pure human values and an unshakeable commitment to humanity. A truly human being is not sculpted merely by outward success, but refined inwardly by conscience. Such a person radiates compassion without condescension, humility without weakness, justice without prejudice, and empathy without calculation. Knowledge divorced from ethics breeds arrogance; authority stripped of morality descends into tyranny. ...

By  Syed Shamsuddin A recent and timely discussion on social media has brought into sharp focus the hazardous traffic situation confronting Gilgit , compelling serious reflection on how this growing crisis can be addressed. Central to this debate is the possibility of introducing environment-friendly e-buses as the backbone of an intra-city mass transit system—an idea that forces us to re-examine Gilgit’s mobility challenges in their full structural context. Gilgit at a Turning Point: Identifying the Core Mobility Failures Gilgit’s traffic problem has evolved from a routine urban inconvenience into a systemic crisis affecting public safety, economic efficiency, environmental quality, and everyday livability. Roads that were once adequate for a small town now carry traffic volumes far beyond their design capacity. Pedestrians, motorcyclists, private cars, freight vehicles, and informal transport all compete for the same limited spac...

By  Syed Shamsuddin Gilgit Media Network (GMN) has aptly foregrounded today the expert opinion of a seasoned environmentalist—reportedly affiliated with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—on the pernicious effects of fuels and materials currently being used by households and micro-industrial units in Gilgit. This expert assessment reinforces a critical but often overlooked truth: the worsening winter smog in Gilgit is not primarily a failure of awareness, but a manifestation of deep-rooted energy poverty . While public education on environmental hazards is undoubtedly important, it becomes insufficient—and at times misplaced—when economically vulnerable households lack viable alternatives to endure prolonged sub-zero winters. The core issue, therefore, is not irresponsible behaviour; it is constrained choice imposed by poverty and structural neglect . As documented in the Ibex Media report cited in an earlier piece dated 4 Dec...

By  Syed Shamsuddin "میں نے ساری دنیا چھان ماری، مگر ایک بھی ایسا شخص نہ ملا جو حقیقی معنوں میں مسلمان ہو۔ انسانیت بذاتِ خود سب سے بڑا دین ہے، اور تمام مذاہب کی بنیاد انسانوں کے ساتھ ہمدردی اور رحم دلی سے پھوٹی ہے۔ جو خود کو مسلمان کہتے ہیں وہ بازار اور عمارتیں تو کھڑی کر لیتے ہیں، مگر بھوکے انسان کو کھانا نہیں کھلاتے۔ وہ حج کے لیے تو چلے جاتے ہیں، لیکن کسی غریب باپ کی بیٹی کی شادی میں مدد کرنے کو تیار نہیں ہوتے۔" Late Abdus Sattar Edhi , the angelic humanist par excellence , devoted his entire life to the service of humanity until his final breath. Words fall short—indeed, they are ineffable—when one attempts to encompass the magnitude of his virtuous deeds. Yet, even in his plain and austere speech, Edhi conveyed truths so piercing that they continue to unsettle consciences long after his passing. Today, on December 16, 2025, while browsing Facebook, I came across an invaluable video originally posted by Karamat Hussain Raja ...

By  Syed Shamsuddin While browsing Facebook on December 14, 2025, I came across the following words in Urdu, attributed to Jaun Elia, which I instantly attempted to render into English: “According to the current of my own conviction, I hold human beings exceedingly dear. I possess an immeasurable love for oppressed and deprived people, and to me this love is the greatest form of worship—indeed, the highest virtue of my self. And it is my belief that the majority of my respected readers also love human beings deeply, and that they do not divide them on the basis of race, language, creed, or region.” Jaun Elia’s brief yet profoundly charged statement is not merely a declaration of personal sentiment; it is a carefully articulated moral position that challenges conventional religious, social, and ideological hierarchies. In these lines, Jaun Elia foregrounds insān (the human being) as the central object of ethical concern, elevating com...

By  Syed Shamsuddin “Concrete heats everything, trees cool the world gently and naturally. Less asphalt and concrete means cooler places, cleaner air and healthier people.” Though simple, this statement captures one of the most urgent ecological truths of our time—one that carries special importance for Gilgit–Baltistan (GB), a region where rising temperatures, growing concrete constructions, and increasing pressures on natural forests are converging to create profound risks. GB is one of the world’s most climate-sensitive mountain ecosystems. Its high-altitude deserts, fragile slopes, and immense glacial reservoirs—holding the ice that feeds Pakistan’s rivers—make it a region where even a single degree of warming has outsized consequences. Yet over recent years, the rapid expansion of cement-based urbanization, coupled with growing dependence on firewood for heating and cooking, has started to create micro “heat pockets” in valleys ...

By  Syed Shamsuddin HEARING of the death of Yaqoob Khan, fondly known as “Jani,” has brought a deep and lingering sorrow to all who knew him. Jani was that rare soul who devoted his entire life to spreading smiles—lighting up faces with his wit, warmth, and boundless good cheer. His passing has undoubtedly cast a pall of sadness over the entire region. May Allah Almighty grant Yaqoob Khan His infinite mercy and forgiveness. Ameen. Often described as the emperor of laughter, Jani was more than just a humorist; he was a beloved public figure whose personality cut across every boundary of caste, color, and creed. His fame as a comedian and entertainer was not of the ordinary kind—it was rooted in sincerity, simplicity, and an unwavering desire to inject joy into the lives of others. A couple of years ago, Dildar Ali Qamar beautifully captured these very traits in his inspiring Facebook reflection, which this writer later highlighted in ...

By  Syed Shamsuddin International Mountain Day, observed every year on 11 December , serves as a universal reminder that the world’s mountains—repositories of biodiversity, water towers for billions, and cradles of human cultural diversity—are under increasing stress. Since its inception in 2002, the day has become a focal point for mobilizing global action on sustainable mountain development. For Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) , a region whose identity, culture, ecology, and economy are woven intimately with mountains, the day holds a significance deeper than symbolic observance; it resonates at the level of existential necessity. A Region Defined by the Great Peaks Gilgit-Baltistan is home to a concentration of high mountains unmatched elsewhere on the planet. K2 , the world’s second-highest peak at 8,611 metres, and Nanga Parbat , the ninth-highest at 8,126 metres, are but two of the towering sentinels that give GB its global prominence....

By  Syed Shamsuddin Mini-Dams as Engines of Resilience: Rethinking Water Security, Climate Adaptation, and Land Productivity in Gilgit-Baltistan A recent social media discussion surrounding the long-abandoned proposal to construct a mini-dam at the Manogah nullah in Danyore—one of the most populous and rapidly expanding settlements contiguous to Gilgit city—has renewed an important debate. The conversation revealed not only how promising the project originally was, but also how its shelving represents a lost opportunity for the entire region. Had the Manogah mini-dam materialized, it could have served as a pioneering model for other valleys across Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), demonstrating the feasibility of regulated year-round water flow, hydropower generation, and enhanced resilience against climate-induced hazards. Indeed, the initiative could have been the first step toward a strategic, region-wide transformation—precisely the vision ...

By  Syed Shamsuddin World Soil Day 2025: A Call to Protect the Land That Sustains Gilgit-Baltistan As the world marks World Soil Day on December 5, 2025 , its message echoes with exceptional urgency across Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) —a region perched on the frontline of climate change. Here, the fragile mountain soils, limited in extent and vital for both life and livelihood, are degrading rapidly. Accelerated glacier melt, erratic weather patterns, frequent landslides, and unsustainable land-use practices are all eroding the very foundation upon which the region’s survival depends. In G-B, only a sliver of land is arable. Soil is not merely earth—it is food security, cultural continuity, and the basis of settlement stability. Once damaged, it cannot be easily restored. This World Soil Day reminds us that protecting the soil is essential for protecting the people. Yet this year’s observance coincides with a timely development in Pakista...

By  Syed Shamsuddin THE Ibex Media report of 4 December 2025  laid bare a truth residents of Gilgit have felt for years: the city is sinking each winter into a suffocating blanket of fog and smoke, while most of Gilgit-Baltistan fares no better. As temperatures fall sharply in the mountain valleys, the atmosphere becomes a stagnant chamber in which every particle of smoke, plastic, or dust accumulates — turning ordinary winter fog into a toxic haze. This is not merely a seasonal inconvenience. It is a public-health crisis , a development crisis , and ultimately a national water-security crisis . And at the heart of this problem lies one simple reality: People burn whatever they can find to survive the cold — because clean energy is unaffordable or unavailable. Until this changes, no amount of awareness campaigns, bans or policing will deliver clean air. The solution demands direct, immediate intervention from the state. Why...

By  Syed Shamsuddin Gilgit-Baltistan’s Exclusion from Federal Job Advertisements: A Persistent, Systemic, and Unaddressed Injustice The Gilgit-Baltistan Career Forum’s Facebook post of 27 November 2025 has once again brought into sharp focus a long-standing, deeply entrenched, and profoundly unsettling reality: the continuous omission of Gilgit-Baltistan’s (GB) quota from federal job advertisements issued by ministries, divisions, autonomous bodies, and state-owned organizations. Despite the constitutional spirit, administrative obligations, and moral imperative that mandate equitable—and now urgently enhanced—representation of GB in federal employment, the region remains persistently sidelined in national recruitment processes. This recurring exclusion represents not merely an administrative oversight but a structural and systemic injustice. It erodes foundational principles of equal opportunity, deepens institutional mistrust, and we...