By Syed Shamsuddin Gilgit , the provincial metropolis of Gilgit-Baltistan , was once a modest and well-balanced township, distinguished by two grand, parallel watercourses—locally known as dalejas —that supplied pristine drinking and irrigation water until the 1960s. Over time, however, this once-verdant landscape has been marred by a chequered urban history. Decades of haphazard construction, undertaken in the absence of any coherent town-planning framework or master plan, gradually dismantled natural water systems and disturbed ecological equilibrium, inflicting enduring damage on what had been a carefully sustained settlement. It is against this historical backdrop that the ongoing sewerage project in Gilgit has emerged as a focal point of intense public concern. Envisioned as a major step toward improved urban services and modern infrastructure, the project’s on-ground execution tells a far less reassuring story. A pronounced dis...
By Syed Shamsuddin HUMILITY is among the most misunderstood virtues of the human moral tradition. Often mistaken for weakness or self-negation, humility is in fact a profound strength—a clear recognition of reality and an honest acceptance of one’s place within it. The timeless reminder, “You are dust, and to dust you shall return,” strips away illusions of superiority and calls the human conscience back to truth. It is a statement that humbles the proud, comforts the afflicted, and equalizes all of humanity. The Illusion of Superiority Human history is a long record of misplaced pride. Individuals and societies alike have believed themselves superior by virtue of wealth, power, lineage, knowledge, or faith. Yet these distinctions, however impressive they may appear, are transient. Empires rise and fall, reputations fade, and the strongest of bodies eventually surrender to frailty. The earth receives all without distinction—rulers...