Window to Gilgit-Baltistan

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Safeguarding Gilgit-Baltistan: Clean Energy as the Only Path to Saving Our Forests

By Syed Shamsuddin Shabbir Ahmad Dogar’s recent write-up (November 16, 2025) delivers a sobering truth: no effort to conserve Gilgit-Baltistan’s rapidly thinning forests will ever succeed unless local communities are first empowered with subsidized, reliable clean-energy alternatives. Forest bans, regulations, and awareness drives become futile when people face minus-degree winters with no option but to burn wood to survive. Dogar rightly stresses that any meaningful environmental policy must begin by removing the people’s dependency on firewood—before the situation crosses the point of no return. This warning comes at a time when climatologists forecast even more severe and unpredictable weather patterns for G-B , patterns that threaten not only local livelihoods but also Pakistan’s glacial treasure , which feeds the Indus River and sustains the entire nation’s water security. The stakes could not be higher. The Harsh Reality on ...

Reimagining Housing in Gilgit-Baltistan: Harnessing the Earth to Beat Climate Extremes

By Syed Shamsuddin GILGIT-BALTISTAN (G-B), with its formidable mountains and deeply incised valleys, is a land of climatic extremes—unbearable heat during the peak of summer and bone-chilling cold in winter. For centuries, communities here coped with these hardships by building dwellings from stone, clay, and timber. These traditional structures, shaped by the natural environment, provided a degree of thermal balance that made life tolerable. But the story has changed drastically. Concrete Houses, Climatic Hardship Over time, the triple forces of climate change, population growth, and land scarcity have transformed how people build their homes. With only one percent of the region under cultivation and barely another one percent habitable without mechanical intervention , families have been compelled to build compact, vertical concrete structures on whatever land is available. These cement-and-iron boxes may be efficient in terms...

Education for Peace: Integrating Japan’s Character-Centered Model

By Syed Shamsuddin I. Significance of the Japanese Model: Building Character Before Academics Japan’s decision to eliminate academic entrance tests for young children marks a profound shift in how success is defined. Instead of viewing early childhood as a race for grades, Japan treats it as a period for shaping human character — the foundation upon which all intellectual and professional abilities later rest. 1. Prioritizing Social and Emotional Development Early education in Japan is intentionally non-academic . The emphasis is on: Empathy Self-control Cooperation Respect for others Responsibility Discipline and personal orderliness By focusing on emotional literacy and social behavior, children learn how to function in a community — a skill far more crucial than memorizing facts at an early age. 2. Manners and Discipline as a Cultural Value Japanese teachers believe that: Good manners create good citi...

The Quiet Wealth of a Meaningful Life

By Syed Shamsuddin The Eternal Lesson of Life’s Ephemeral Journey “Life is funny. You come with nothing, then you fight for everything, and go with nothing.” Beneath the simplicity of these words lies a vast ocean of truth — an unspoken wisdom that humbles kings and comforts beggars alike. Life, in its quiet irony, begins and ends in emptiness. We arrive as silent guests, wrapped in innocence, bringing neither gold nor garment — and we depart the same way, stripped of all that we once clung to so fiercely. Yet, between these two moments of nothingness, we live as if the world belongs to us forever. We build walls around our egos, castles around our desires, and crowns around our names. We chase illusions of permanence in a world that itself is transient. We quarrel, compete, and fight for things that death will one day reclaim without negotiation. And still, we seldom pause to ask — what truly remains when the curtain falls? In ...

Smart Agriculture in Land-Scarce Gilgit-Baltistan: Cultivating Innovation Where Land Ends

By Syed Shamsuddin 🌱 1. Concept and Relevance Smart Agriculture Smart agriculture refers to the use of digital, automated, and data-driven technologies to enhance productivity, optimize resource use, and ensure sustainability. It includes: Sensor-based irrigation systems (soil moisture, humidity, temperature sensors) IoT (Internet of Things) monitoring for water and nutrient management Drones and AI-driven imaging to monitor plant health and detect disease Controlled-environment farming , including hydroponics and vertical systems Mobile-based advisory systems offering real-time weather, soil, and crop data Smart Gardening Smart gardening brings these innovations to a micro-scale — ideal for G-B’s small compounds, terraces, and courtyard gardens. It relies on: Automated irrigation and nutrient dosing (drip + fertigation systems) Compact vertical or container-based setups Integration of solar-powe...

Harnessing the Monsoon: Reservoirs as Pakistan’s Lifeline for a Water-Secure Future

By Syed Shamsuddin Harnessing the Monsoon: Reservoirs as Pakistan’s Lifeline for a Water-Secure Future Pakistan stands at a paradoxical crossroads — both blessed and burdened by water. Each year, the monsoon rains bring torrents that replenish rivers, lakes, and aquifers across the country. Yet, this seasonal abundance often translates into widespread floods, destruction of livelihoods, and the tragic irony of wasted water draining into the Arabian Sea. Conversely, as the dry months set in, Pakistan faces acute water shortages, with per capita availability falling below the global scarcity threshold. The challenge, therefore, is not the monsoon itself but our inability to manage it. The key lies in harnessing this bounty intelligently — by constructing reservoirs and water storage systems across suitable zones in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and beyond, ensuring that every drop of rain contributes to the nation’s long-term sustainabi...