Window to Gilgit-Baltistan

By  Syed Shamsuddin لوگوں سے عداوت میرا دستور نہیں ہے، فرقوں کی سیاست مجھے منظور نہیں ہے، مخلوق کی خدمت میں بسر ہو میرا جیون، بس اِس کے سِوا اور کوئی منشور نہیں ہے۔ — جمشید خان دُکھی English Translation “I hold no creed of hostility toward people; The politics of sectarian divisions finds no acceptance in me. May my life be spent in the service of humanity— Beyond this, I cherish no other manifesto.” In an age increasingly overshadowed by division, intolerance, and ideological polarization, these thoughtful lines by Jamshed Khan Dukhi emerge as a profound declaration of humanism, humility, and social harmony. The poet distances himself from hatred and sectarian politics, presenting instead a philosophy rooted in compassion and service to humanity. The opening verse rejects animosity as a way of life. It reflects a moral stance that transcends personal grudges, communal conflicts, and social prejudices. By declaring that hosti...

By  Syed Shamsuddin The herb locally known in Chitral as Aspandor and in Shina as Ispandur , commonly referred to as Wild Rue or Harmal , bears the botanical name Peganum harmala and belongs to the Nitrariaceae family. As noted in the Facebook post of Flora of Chitral dated 29 May 2026, it is a naturally growing perennial herb that flourishes in semi-arid environments, especially along dry mountain slopes and heavily grazed pastures at elevations ranging between 2,000 and 3,500 metres. In Chitral, the plant generally flowers from May to June, while its fruits and seeds mature and appear during August. This notable herb is not restricted to Chitral alone; it is widely distributed throughout the mountainous regions of Gilgit-Baltistan as well, where it forms an integral part of local traditions, indigenous knowledge, and folk healing practices. Among many communities, Harmal is regarded as a sacred and spiritually significant plant, ...

By  Syed Shamsuddin Election Seasons (A Poetic Rendering of Muhammad Sharif Bagoro’s Very Interesting Shina Verse) Strangely now they come to bless your marriage rites, A curious crowd attends our prayerful nights. No true compassion stirs their crafted role— They come with hidden aims, not heart or soul. The Pharaohs of our age bend low and near, Kneeling before the poor they once held dear. When harvest time awakens field and tree, Crows and magpies arrive in endless spree. They dress like orioles in orchard shade, To charm and fool till full their gains are made. Then, feathered strong, they rise and fly away— Himalayan vultures returned to prey. Even when riverside and mountain land were sold, And forests bartered into hands of gold, Their thirst remained; it was not quenched or done— They turn now toward the orchard and the farm and sun. For slips of vote—those “parchi” papered claims— They bow and speak with hon...

By  Syed Shamsuddin There can be no denying the fact that the success of any large-scale afforestation programme in Gilgit’s arid and rugged terrain is fundamentally dependent upon assured and sustainable irrigation support. In this context, the proposed “Greater Gilgit Green Mountain Belt Project” should incorporate a dedicated solar-powered micro-irrigation and water-pumping network under the coordinated aegis of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Forest Department. Such a component would serve as the operational backbone for plantation survival across moisture-deficient mountain slopes and peri-urban ridges. Given the region’s abundant solar irradiance, the deployment of solar-powered pumping systems presents a particularly suitable, climate-resilient, and cost-effective solution for lifting and distributing water from rivers, natural springs, and existing irrigation channels to elevated plantation zones such as Kinodas, Da...

By  Syed Shamsuddin AGING is not merely the passing of years; it is the gradual unfolding of life’s final and most reflective season. By the time we reach sixty, we begin to step quietly into a chapter shaped less by ambition and competition, and more by acceptance, wisdom, and inner preparation. It is a stage that invites us to look at life with greater honesty and deeper understanding. Before the evening of life fully settles, there are certain truths—certain “scenes”—that we must learn to recognize, not with fear, but with maturity and grace. The first reality of old age is loneliness. As the years advance, many of the people who once formed the center of our emotional world slowly disappear. Parents, grandparents, old friends, and lifelong companions depart one by one, leaving behind memories that echo more loudly in silence. Those who remain are often preoccupied with their own burdens, while the younger generation becomes absorb...

By  Syed Shamsuddin “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to make a difference.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson This profound reflection by Emerson redirects human attention from the fleeting pursuit of personal pleasure toward the enduring pursuit of meaningful existence. Happiness, though desirable, is often transient and dependent upon circumstances; but usefulness, honor, compassion, and positive influence leave behind an imperishable legacy. Emerson therefore elevates life from mere self-indulgence to moral and social responsibility. To be useful is to become a source of benefit for others. A life devoted solely to personal comfort soon fades into insignificance, whereas a person who alleviates suffering, imparts knowledge, or contributes to society continues to live in the gratitude and memory of mankind. The value of a tree lies not in its appearance alone but in the shade ...

By  Syed Shamsuddin The following exposition seeks to draw urgent national attention to the growing sense of deprivation, exclusion, and institutional inequity increasingly experienced by the educated youth of Gilgit-Baltistan as a consequence of the flawed restructuring of the federal quota regime introduced in 2020 — a policy alteration whose discriminatory repercussions are now manifesting with alarming clarity in the allocation pattern of Pakistan’s Civil Services. The quota system in Pakistan’s Civil Services has never been a mere bureaucratic mechanism for numerical distribution of vacancies; rather, it constitutes an essential constitutional instrument designed to preserve the principles of inclusive federation, balanced representation, and participatory governance among historically underrepresented regions of the country. The philosophical foundation of the quota framework was to compensate for structural disparities and to en...