Window to Gilgit-Baltistan

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...

By  Syed Shamsuddin Earlier today, I came across an inspiring Facebook post by Shoaib Reel , beautifully portraying the Himalayan Monal — a living embodiment of nature’s artistry that graces the northern valleys of Pakistan. His vivid depiction of this dazzling bird, found amid snow-clad mountains and fragrant deodar forests, truly captured the spirit of our northern wilderness. When sunlight touches its feathers, it seems as though a rainbow has descended upon the earth . The male Monal glows in a spectacular array of metallic blue, green, gold, orange, and violet hues, while the female, clothed in soft brown shades, adds a gentle calmness to the beauty of nature. Typically, this radiant bird inhabits the alpine forests of Gilgit-Baltistan, Hunza, Naltar, Dir, and parts of Azad Kashmir . At dawn, it quietly forages for seeds, roots, fruits, and insects; and in the harshness of winter, when the mountains don a white mantle, the Monal...

By  Syed Shamsuddin Dwarf Grape Plantations in Gilgit-Baltistan — Why They Matter (and Which Grapes Work Best in a Similar Climate) Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), a land of soaring peaks and breathtaking valleys, faces a critical agricultural challenge — extreme scarcity of arable land. Studies and land-use surveys indicate that barely 1–2% of its total area is cultivable, with most households managing landholdings smaller than a hectare. This acute land limitation renders every terrace, courtyard, and flat patch of soil immensely valuable for food production and household income. In such a landscape, the concept of dwarf grape plantations emerges as a practical, innovative, and climate-compatible response to GB’s constraints — combining compact, high-density, and vertically efficient viticulture techniques to turn even the tiniest spaces into productive vineyards. Why Dwarf-Grape Systems Suit Gilgit-Baltistan 1.  Maximizing Productiv...

By  Syed Shamsuddin IN THE WAKE of escalating climate change impacts and mounting land-use pressures, the Forest and Agriculture Departments of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) stand at a defining juncture. The region’s fragile mountain ecosystems, once protected by their remoteness, are now increasingly exposed to erratic weather patterns, glacial retreat, soil degradation, and shrinking cultivable land. Under these circumstances, coordinated and synergistic action between the two departments is not only desirable but inevitable to ensure ecological stability, food security, and sustainable livelihoods for local communities. 1. Convergence of Mandates: Forests and Farms as Complementary Systems Historically, forestry and agriculture have operated as distinct sectors. However, in a mountainous and land-scarce region like Gilgit-Baltistan—where every patch of arable land is precious—this compartmentalized approach no longer serves the realiti...

By  Syed Shamsuddin Empathy: The Last Line Between Civilization and Barbarism “The death of empathy is one of the earliest and most telling signs of a culture about to fall into barbarism.” Few statements capture so precisely the peril that awaits a society when it ceases to feel. Empathy — the ability to share in another’s joy or pain — is not a soft sentiment but the lifeblood of civilization itself. When compassion fades, cruelty finds space to grow. Empathy humanizes our conduct, softens our judgments, and reminds us that no society can thrive when it ignores suffering. Its disappearance is never sudden. It begins quietly — when injustice no longer shocks us, when others’ pain becomes entertainment, or when human dignity is reduced to numbers and statistics. Eventually, indifference replaces concern, and barbarism reappears, not in primitive form but disguised in modern efficiency. History bears witness. Genocides, wars, and o...

By  Syed Shamsuddin Introducing Dwarf Walnut Species in Gilgit-Baltistan: A Call for Action  Since Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) spans a dramatic range of altitudes, temperatures, and growing-season lengths, zone-specific selection is essential for successful dwarf-grape cultivation. Below is a comprehensive, research-based recommendation divided between the upper (cold, high-altitude) and lower (warmer valley) zones, along with rationale and rootstock suggestions suitable for compact (dwarf) plantation systems. 🌿 Recommended Dwarf-Grape Species and Cultivars for Gilgit-Baltistan 🔹 Climatic Context Upper Zones (e.g., Hunza, Gojal, Khaplu, Skardu outskirts, Phandar, Yasin): Altitude 2,300–2,800 m; cold winters, short but sunny summers, large diurnal temperature variation, late-spring frost risk. → Requires cold-hardy, early-ripening, low-vigour cultivars. Lower Zones (e.g., Danyore, Juglot, Chilas, Ghizer lower valleys, Ro...