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A highly relevant and thought-provoking piece by Muhammad Saleh, titled "Terrain and Human Short-Sightedness", published by Media Lens on July 24, 2025, deserves renewed attention in light of current environmental challenges and the shifting realities of our time:
Gilgit-Baltistan, the breathtaking crown of Pakistan's northern frontier, is a region of unparalleled natural beauty — but it is also a land defined by formidable natural challenges. Its majestic mountains, sprawling glaciers, winding rivers, and seismic fault lines paint a stunning yet fragile landscape. These physical features stand as stark reminders that this region is acutely susceptible to natural calamities. Over the years, extreme weather — in the form of heavy downpours, sudden temperature spikes, and glacial lake outbursts — has repeatedly caused floods, landslides, and destruction. And more such events are predicted as climate change intensifies.
Living on the Edge — The Cost of Greed and Chaos
Yet, despite these recurring warnings from nature, there is a deeply troubling trend: the proliferation of human settlements in high-risk zones. Whether driven by ignorance, desperation, or unbridled greed, the unchecked expansion of homes into flood plains, near glacial streams, or on unstable slopes has proven disastrous. Such actions not only endanger those who settle there but also expose the underlying failure in community planning, governance, and environmental stewardship.
Today, as floodwaters wash away entire villages, we must ask ourselves: is this a punishment from nature — or the outcome of our own disregard for natural laws and ancestral wisdom?
A Return to Thoughtful Planning
The time to act is now. The region can no longer afford ad hoc decisions and reactive measures. What is urgently needed is a strategic and locally informed planning framework — one that respects the land, acknowledges the signs it gives us, and integrates the generational knowledge of those who have lived here sustainably for centuries.
Some pressing questions demand honest and inclusive answers:
Where can we safely construct new settlements?
Which lands must remain untouched as grazing pastures or ecological buffers?
How far should human activity stay from seasonal streams and glacial paths?
These are not just technical questions for engineers or bureaucrats. They require input from local elders, herders, farmers, and those who have lived in intimate communion with this land. The wisdom of the past, when fused with modern science and environmental awareness, can help forge a resilient and sustainable future.
Beyond the Blame Game — A Call for Civic Responsibility
A dangerous mindset prevails — one where the state and military are expected to shoulder the entire burden during crises, while ordinary citizens retreat into apathy during normal times. This must change.
Collective survival in a region like Gilgit-Baltistan requires collective action. We must foster a culture of civic responsibility where communities participate actively in local governance, respect land-use regulations, and prioritize long-term safety over short-term gain. Land disputes, illegal encroachments, and haphazard development can no longer be brushed aside as routine issues — they are life-and-death matters in this delicate ecosystem.
The Path Forward — Tradition, Wisdom, and Preparedness
There is hope. And that hope lies in reconciling our lives with the natural rhythms and realities of Gilgit-Baltistan. We must re-embrace the traditional principles that guided our forebears: respect for the land, restraint in its use, and reverence for its signals. These principles, combined with proactive disaster preparedness and scientific insight, can help us navigate an increasingly uncertain future.
In doing so, we not only protect ourselves from the wrath of natural disasters but also lay the foundation for real peace, stability, and development — rooted in the land, shaped by tradition, and driven by foresight.Reading Muhammad Saleh’s write-up, one cannot help but question: how could the authorities of the time stand by silently as uninformed communities were allowed—perhaps even left helpless—to settle in disaster-prone areas? Why was there no intervention, no guidance, no protective action to prevent such a foreseeable tragedy?Now is the time for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in coordination with the concerned administrative authorities, to conduct a thorough and methodical survey to identify vulnerable settlements. Urgent measures must be taken to alert and prepare residents against the looming environmental threats. Delay is no longer an option—the moment to act is now.
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