Glacial Wounds and Blistering Heat: Climate Crisis Tightens Grip on Gilgit-Baltistan

By Syed Shams Uddin | July 7, 2025 The climate clock is ticking loud in Gilgit-Baltistan. As the region reels under searing temperatures and glacial instability, the latest reports from across the mountainous north point to an escalating environmental emergency—one that threatens both the ecological balance and the lives and livelihoods of its people. The Pakistan Meteorological Department recently recorded a scorching 48.5°C in Chilas, Diamer district, marking it the hottest spot in Gilgit-Baltistan. Not far behind was Bunji, which also posted dangerously high temperatures. These figures are more than just numbers—they are warnings of an accelerating meltdown. Rising Heat, Melting Ice Such intense heat is rapidly melting the glaciers that define and sustain this land. Gilgit-Baltistan, often referred to as the 'third pole' due to its dense concentration of glaciers outside the polar regions, is home to over 7,000 glaciers that feed the mighty Indus River. These ice reserves are the lifeline for nearly 80% of Pakistan’s agricultural and domestic water needs. However, the surging temperatures are destabilizing this delicate system. Glacier melt is intensifying, lake formations are becoming increasingly volatile, and the frequency of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) is rising—putting the region on the brink of hydrological disaster. Earlier, disturbing reports highlighted precarious glacial conditions emerging in Bagrote, Nagar, and Badswat in Ghizer district. These zones are now joined by Hunza, where the effects of climate change have manifested violently once again. Shishper Glacier Strikes Again On July 7, 2025, Pamir Times reported a fresh GLOF triggered by the Shishper Glacier, which has significantly intensified erosion in the Hassanabad Nallah in central Hunza. According to eyewitnesses, water flow from the glacier's snout came to an abrupt standstill for approximately 20–25 minutes before a forceful outburst roared through the channel. The resulting floodwaters tore into the stream banks, eroding property and threatening the Karakoram Highway (KKH)—a critical artery linking Pakistan with China and the rest of Gilgit-Baltistan. This is the second such incident in the same location within a week. The repetition of such glacial hazards underscores the dire risks posed by unchecked glacial melt, driven largely by rising global temperatures and local environmental degradation. A Region at the Crossroads The Hassanabad GLOF is more than just an isolated incident. It represents a symptom of a broader, deepening crisis that now haunts every valley and glacier in Gilgit-Baltistan. With the region’s glacial systems becoming increasingly unpredictable, infrastructure, agriculture, and entire communities stand exposed. Without urgent, sustained interventions—such as enhanced glacier monitoring, community-based disaster preparedness, reforestation drives, and the establishment of effective early warning systems—the damage may become irreversible. Gilgit-Baltistan is no longer a distant, picturesque mountain retreat; it has become ground zero in Pakistan’s climate crisis. The rising temperatures, the melting glaciers, the surging streams—they all tell a story that demands not just our attention, but immediate, coordinated action.