Voices of the Mountain Communities
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By Amna Siddiqui A recent video has raised alarms, as it not only captured a man with a beard and average Pakistani attire in the middle of abusing a young boy at a riverbank in Gilgit, but also showed him stopping in his tracks when he realized that he was being filmed. In the aftermath, …
HUNZA: A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support the family of Hunza mountaineer Sohail Sakhi, who was among the climbers killed in an avalanche on Broad Peak on July 30. The campaign, “Honoring Sohail Sakhi’s Legacy,” seeks to raise $50,000 to help provide living expenses for Sakhi’s mother and brother during this difficult time. …
By Faisal Mashroof Gagging the students risks gagging the future. Students have traditionally been one of the most vocal constituencies in favor of social progress, educational reform and democratic accountability. Across Europe and South Asia, student movements have battled injustice, demanded transparency and produced leaders who later shaped their nations. But in Pakistan the student …
By Dr. Tehmina Ali As glaciers melt and floods intensify, Northern Pakistan needs science, solidarity, and preparedness—not fatalism or finger-pointing. Natural disasters have long tested the resilience of civilizations, serving as stark reminders of nature’s immense power and humanity’s profound fragility. Yet, in the modern era, the nature of these disasters has undergone a fundamental …
By Tasawar ul Karim Baig The debate over creating new provinces has once again entered Pakistan’s political discourse. While many analysts and political stakeholders have presented compelling arguments both for and against the proposal, several fundamental questions remain unanswered. Why does Pakistan need more administrative units? Will creating additional provinces genuinely improve governance…
Amna Siddiqui As a tourist, while returning from Shimshal Valley, I met a senior citizen who pointed toward a narrow trail opposite the road our van was travelling on. He explained that before the construction of the current vehicle route, people had to walk for three days along that path. At one point, they had …
By Karim Muhammad Khan A popular saying goes, “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.” Wishes and desires are inherent to human nature, and no one can deny their existence. In ancient times, facilities were limited, and human desires revolved primarily around the basic necessities of life: food, clothing, and shelter. People were generally satisfied …
By Zarina Ashraf Ask an elder in Khaplu what has changed in the last twenty years, and they will not only talk about the weather. They will talk about houses that used to breathe with the cold and now trap it wrong. About food that used to come from the field and now comes from …
By Ashiq Hussain Gilgit-Baltistan is one of the most heavily glaciated regions on Earth outside the polar ice caps, home to more than 7,000 glaciers feeding the Indus River system that sustains the entire country downstream. Glaciers and permanent snow cover roughly a quarter of the region’s land area. Yet this same frozen wealth is …
SKARDU: Pakistan Army Aviation has deployed two rescue helicopters carrying rescue personnel and specialized equipment to support the ongoing search and rescue operation for 10 climbers reported missing after an avalanche struck Broad Peak (8,047 metres) in Pakistan’s Karakoram Range. According to a media update issued by the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the helicopters have …
