Window to Gilgit-Baltistan

By  Syed Shamsuddin Follow on X Facebook A recent Facebook post by Bol Hunza , dated 4 September 2026 , has drawn attention to what is being described as a worrying increase in cancer cases in Gilgit district. The post voices a concern increasingly being heard within local communities: that cancer appears to be affecting an unusually large number of families, while the underlying reasons remain insufficiently understood. Whether the perceived increase reflects a genuine rise in incidence, improved detection and reporting, population changes, or a combination of several factors is a question that cannot be answered through anecdotal observations alone . What is urgently required, therefore, is systematic data collection, epidemiological investigation and scientifically sound research. A Concern That Cannot Be Ignored The observation that “almost every hou...

By  Syed Shamsuddin Follow on X Facebook THERE are people who visit a place for a few days, admire its scenery, take photographs and return home with pleasant memories. There are others who enter a community not merely as visitors, but as students of its people, culture, language and way of life —and, in the process, become so deeply attached to it that the distinction between an outsider and an insider begins to disappear. When Anthropology Became a Bond of the Heart Monica, an anthropologist from Germany, appears to belong to the latter and rather rare category. Nearly three decades ago, some 28 years back, Monica came to Bagrote Valley in connection with her anthropological research. What began as academic fieldwork gradually developed into something much deeper. She did not remain a distant observer of the community. She lived among the people, int...

By  Syed Shamsuddin Follow on X Facebook A video circulating on social media on 3 September 2026 from Nasirabad in Hunza  has brought an intriguing agricultural experiment into the public spotlight: the cultivation of hop ( Humulus lupulus ) , particularly its tender young shoots, which are reportedly harvested initially as a vegetable, while subsequent growth is being explored for use in making a green-tea-like beverage. If the observations being reported are substantiated through scientific trials, this could prove to be an interesting addition to the agricultural possibilities of Gilgit-Baltistan. It becomes ascertainable that “Hop Shoot plant”  means  Humulus lupulus , which is actually a large perennial climbing vine , not a small vegetable plant. Reportedly it can be propagated from cuttings as well. Vine length: commonly 4–7 metres...

By  Syed Shamsuddin Follow on X Facebook THERE was a time—not very long ago—when Gilgit-Baltistan was a land almost entirely untouched by vehicular traffic . Until the 1960s, motor vehicles were virtually absent from most parts of the region. The valleys, mountain slopes, rivers, streams and settlements existed in an extraordinarily pristine state. The silence of the mountains was broken principally by the sound of flowing water, birdsong, livestock, the movement of people on foot, and the occasional traditional means of transport. The landscape was not merely beautiful; it was ecologically quieter, cleaner and far less disturbed by human activity . Today, that world has changed dramatically. The expansion of roads, the arrival of motor vehicles, increasing tourism, rapid urbanisation and growing dependence on private transport have brought enormous econ...

By  Syed Shamsuddin Oral Historians: The Living Archives of Gilgit-Baltistan History does not survive only in books, official records and archival documents. In societies where written records are limited, fragmented or absent, it also survives in the memories, narratives and lived experiences of people who inherit and transmit knowledge from one generation to another. Such individuals may aptly be described as oral historians, oral tradition-bearers or folk historians . They are, in effect, the living archives of their communities. This is particularly true of Gilgit-Baltistan , where a considerable part of the region’s social and cultural history has been preserved through oral traditions. Elderly men and women in its villages and valleys may possess extensive knowledge of ancestral migrations and settlements, customary laws, clan and kinship relations, irrigation systems, agricultural practices, grazing routes, traditional medicines...

By  Syed Shamsuddin IN A WORLD increasingly driven by competition, impatience, and material pressures, societies that invest in the moral growth of their children stand out as islands of stability and progress. Japan remains one of the most compelling examples. In Japanese schools, the first three years of education are not dominated by examinations or memorization. Instead, the focus is on shaping character—teaching children ethics, manners, responsibility, and social harmony. Children learn how to stand in line, eat on time, tidy their utensils, and brush their teeth regularly. Punctuality is emphasized as a core discipline. They are encouraged to speak truthfully, work cooperatively, and help one another. Through such grooming, they grow into responsible adults whose honesty and civic sense are admired worldwide. It is no surprise that Tokyo—the world's most populous metropolitan region—remains peaceful, orderly, and remarkably cl...