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From NATCL Barter Trade to Border-Pass Livelihood The Case for a Tax-Free Baggage Regime for Gilgit-Baltistan

By  Syed Shamsuddin Follow on X Facebook From NATCL Barter Trade to Border-Pass Commerce The Case for a Rational Tax Exemption for Local Traders of Gilgit-Baltistan The special economic relationship between Gilgit-Baltistan and China's Xinjiang region has a history extending far beyond the present-day Sost Dry Port and the modern China-Pakistan trade corridor. It is rooted in a conscious policy of facilitating cross-border commerce for the inhabitants of a remote and economically disadvantaged mountain region. That history deserves to be recalled when considering whether locally issued China-Pakistan border passes should carry a rational and clearly defined tax exemption for small-scale imports brought by unemployed and economically vulnerable residents of Gilgit-Baltistan. The beginning: the 1967 border-trade arrangement The Pakistan-China Border Trade ...
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Border Trade Must Serve the Unemployed Youth, Not Just the Affluent

Border Trade and the Right to Earn: A Case for Small Traders in Gilgit-Baltistan The recent election of Haji Muhammad Iqbal as the unopposed President of the Gilgit-Baltistan Import and Export Association at Sost is a welcome development, particularly if the new leadership takes up the cause of legitimate concessions for the large and growing number of unemployed people—especially the region's youth—who look towards cross-Khunjrab trade as a means of earning an honest livelihood. It comes at a time when Pak-China border trade requires not merely representation of the business community, but a clear policy direction that recognises the important distinction between large commercial interests and the livelihood needs of ordinary people . This distinction assumes particular importance in Gilgit-Baltistan, as I had earlier pointed out in these columns in my article “Awaiting Redress: The Gilgit-Baltistan Discourse,” published on August 2, 2025. It is noteworthy that Paki...
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The Shina Language and Gilgit-Baltistan

By  Syed Shamsuddin Follow on X Facebook Dr Amir Haider is a distinguished linguist whose work reflects a deep and well-established understanding of the Shina language. His scholarly study of Shina is of considerable value, particularly at a time when greater attention is needed to document, preserve, and understand the linguistic heritage of Gilgit-Baltistan. The piece referred to below is especially significant in this regard. It offers valuable insights into the origin, evolution, structure, and continuing vitality of Shina, and can serve as an important contribution towards a deeper understanding of this ancient and living language. It deserves to be read not merely as a linguistic study, but also as an effort to illuminate an important dimension of the cultural heritage of the Shina-speaking people. “A Language Should Neither Be Frozen nor Artificially Altered” By Dr. Amir Ha...
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Chilgoza Pine: From Diamer’s Natural Heritage to a Wider Economic Opportunity for Gilgit-Baltistan

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By  Syed Shamsuddin Follow on X Facebook Chilgoza pine in Diamer provides a particularly strong basis for considering whether this valuable species could be propagated more widely in suitable valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan. Official sources indicate that Chilgoza already occurs naturally not only in several valleys of Diamer but, more sparsely, in parts of Astore, Nagar and Ghizer. Chilgoza Pine: From Diamer’s Natural Heritage to a Wider Economic Opportunity for Gilgit-Baltistan 6 Among the natural treasures of Gilgit-Baltistan, the Chilgoza pine ( Pinus gerardiana ) occupies a special place. More than merely a forest tree, it represents a potentially valuable combination of biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, rural livelihoods and high-value agricultural enterprise . Its natural forests in Diamer District demonstrate that the ecological condi...
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Danyore Manugah Glacier: A Warning That Must Not Be Ignored

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By  Syed Shamsuddin Follow on X Facebook The authorities must move from post-disaster response to anticipatory protection A recent report by Abshar TV Gilgit-Baltistan, dated 14 September 2026 , has drawn attention to a potentially serious hazard above Danyore: the Manugah Nullah and its glacier system , from where a sudden surge of water, ice, debris and boulders could potentially descend towards inhabited areas. It is worth noting that Danyore, lying in close proximity to Gilgit city, has emerged as one of the rapidly urbanizing settlements of Gilgit-Baltistan . Its convenient location, expanding infrastructure and growing economic significance have made it an increasingly attractive destination for people migrating from other parts of the region. Every year, a rising number of families and individuals move to this bustling township in search of employ...
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From Pakistan to Korea: Zahid Hussain Honoured with Sitara-i-Imtiaz for Building Bridges Between Cultures

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By  Syed Shamsuddin Follow on X Facebook A son of the soil of Gilgit-Baltistan, alumnus of Cadet College Skardu, engineer, broadcaster, entrepreneur and cultural bridge-builder, Zahid Hussain has earned national recognition for a remarkable journey that has taken him from the mountains of northern Pakistan to the heart of South Korean public life. The Government of Pakistan has announced the conferment of the prestigious Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) upon Pakistani broadcaster, entrepreneur and cultural liaison Zahid Hussain , in recognition of his services to Pakistan, public service, cultural diplomacy and his sustained efforts to foster a better understanding of Pakistan among the Korean people. The announcement was made on 14 August 2026 , Pakistan's Independence Day, with the formal investiture scheduled for 23 March 2027 , Pakistan Day. For...
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Niat Khan Nomali: The Charlie Chaplin of Gilgit — A Born Artist and Living Cultural Memory

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By  Syed Shamsuddin Follow on X Facebook In a Facebook post dated 9 September 2026 , Tufail Hayat pays a warm and affectionate tribute to Niat Khan Nomali , the renowned artist of Gilgit whose extraordinary gift for spontaneous humour has endeared him to generations of people. To describe Nomali as “the Charlie Chaplin of Gilgit” may perhaps not be an exaggeration. Like Chaplin, he possesses that rare and precious ability to transform ordinary situations into moments of laughter and to bring smiles to people's faces even in times of anxiety, hardship and uncertainty. But Niat Khan Nomali is much more than a comedian or stage performer. He is a born artist and a familiar cultural personality whose name has remained associated with the social and cultural life of Gilgit for several decades. His longevity in public life is remarkable, particularly when viewed against the dramatic t...
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