Pakistan races to protect mountain villages from runaway glaciers

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Local villagers come each day to check on the movement of the Shishper Glacier, as it advances in Hassanabad ravine, Hunza district, Pakistan, May 21, 2019. (Reuters)
Updated 30 May 2019
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Pakistan races to protect mountain villages from runaway glaciers

  • Shishper glacier was partly on the move since last july
  • More than a third of the ice in the region would melt by 2100, says reports

HUNZA, Pakistan: A menacing black glacier is bulldozing its way down a valley in northern Pakistan, threatening to cut off a vital road link to China and blocking melt-water that could flood villages below.
Up close, the surging wall of ice almost 200 meters (656 ft) high, above Hassanabad village in Hunza district, cracked and groaned in the May sun as ice and debris fell off in big chunks.
The glacier has been advancing since last July, according to Faheem Baig, a shepherd from the village next to the Karakoram Highway (KKH), 4 km (2.5 miles) downstream of the glacier mouth.
“I went off with my yaks to the summer pasture far up above the glacier in May, and when I came back to get some supplies in October, the valley was completely blocked by this glacier,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
“The trail on the mountainside was gone and with great difficulty I made it back over the mountain-top. I had to leave my livestock behind. I couldn’t believe it had moved so fast.”
Shehzad Baig, assistant director of the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority, said the Shishper glacier was on the move partly because it was located on the main Karakoram thrust line where tectonic plates are shifting.
In addition, deposits of snow on the glacier have increased due to larger amounts of snowfall in the winter months over the past five years linked to climate change, he said.
A February report on the Hindu-Kush-Himalayan region from the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) said the Karakoram and western Himalaya areas were seeing more variability and a higher probability of snowfall.
But Philippus Wester from the Nepal-based ICIMOD, who led the study, said that while some glaciers in Pakistan are stable and a few are even gaining ice, they will nonetheless all start to melt in time as the planet heats up.
The report warned that more than a third of the ice in the region would melt by 2100 even if governments took tough action to limit global warming under the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
Hunza District Commissioner Babar Sahib Din, said the 15 km-long Shishper glacier had surged forward 2.5 km since last July, and was now advancing nearly 4 meters per day.
“At this rate it will take around two years to reach the KKH — but we are hopeful that it will stop surging,” said Sahib Din.
FLOOD PREPARATIONS
To the left of Shishper is another glacier, Muchowar, which was once parallel but retreated 4 km from 2006 to 2017, possibly sparked by rock falls linked to local mining activity.
Shishper’s surge ahead means the water coming out of Muchowar as it melts in the summer cannot run down the ravine’s streams, and has formed a lake in the Muchowar Valley.
A month ago, there was a danger that glacial lake would burst, causing floods below. But Sahib Din said the risk had passed as crevices had opened in Shishper with May’s rising temperatures, enabling water to pass through into the stream.
However, there are 72 houses downstream that are at risk from sudden flooding in case bigger crevices open and the water starts flowing faster.
Villagers have been told where to evacuate, and Sahib Din has set up a control room to monitor the situation.
An early warning system for glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) would be invaluable, he and other experts said.
The Green Climate Fund, set up to help developing countries tackle climate change, has granted $37 million to a project to reduce the risks of such floods in northern Pakistan.
Its technical adviser, Abduvakkos Abdurahmanov, who works for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Pakistan, has visited Shishper glacier and believes the work is urgent.
After a bureaucratic delay of over a year as Imran Khan’s government settled into office, the project is finally being implemented.
Sixteen valleys with threatening glaciers will be selected in the Gilgit-Baltistan region and eight in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s mountainous districts after analysis of local vulnerabilities. Abdurahmanov said the government, the UNDP’s partner on the project, had requested work be speeded up to install equipment like sensors to monitor water discharge and glacier movement.
Satellite imagery and drone mapping, meanwhile, will be used to set up early warning systems, he said.
“We can calibrate the risk — but of course it won’t be 100% precise,” he added.
Muhammad Atif, deputy director of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, noted the complexity of glacier-linked dynamics — sometimes a GLOF can be triggered by torrential rains, or a “dry flood” can occur when a lake bursts due to a temperature spike.

WATER WORRIES
Mohammed Ibrahim Khan, UNDP manager for the GLOF project, said lessons had been learned from an earlier pilot project in two mountainous valleys in Chitral and Gilgit ago, financed by the UN Adaptation Fund.
They included the need for better coordination among different government departments and agencies, he said.
Besides GLOFs, the new project will address flash floods, another big problem in these mountainous areas, he added.
Other interventions include building flood prevention structures like gabion walls, and stabilising slopes by planting shrubs with deep roots and fast-growing trees such as poplars.
Disaster official Baig said the project would raise awareness and mobilize communities at risk.
Khan Baig, who lives below Shishper glacier in Hassanabad, knows about its recent movement.
“But I’m hearing all sorts of stories – some say it will stop, others say it will come and destroy our homes and the KKH. I just don’t know,” he shrugged.
His family will move if the worst happens, but that prospect remains a good two years off, he believes.
Residents of Aliabad, one of Hunza’s main towns further up the KKH, are more concerned as their water supply could be cut off in less than a month by the glacier’s advance.
Below is a wooden bridge carrying a large water pipe, which transports water from streams above the glacier to Aliabad.
“This bridge will be eaten up by the surging glacier in 20 days’ time,” said farmer Arman Ali. Every day, he checks how far the glacier has come and worries about the pipe being destroyed.
“Water scarcity is a big issue for us,” he said, adding that local farmers had made irrigation channels for their fields at great cost to themselves.
“Then the glacier just eats them up. Our crops are suffering. But who can confront a glacier? It has a will of its own,” he lamented.


Pakistan National Assembly speaker meets Saudi crown prince, urges deeper ties at Hajj luncheon

Updated 6 sec ago
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Pakistan National Assembly speaker meets Saudi crown prince, urges deeper ties at Hajj luncheon

  • Pakistan National Assembly speaker meets Saudi crown prince, urges deeper ties at Hajj luncheon
  • The Crown Prince reaffirmed his commitment to addressing challenges facing the Muslim world

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday at a luncheon hosted for Muslim leaders visiting the Kingdom for Hajj, expressing hope for even stronger ties between the two countries, according to an official statement.
The meeting underscored a longstanding relationship rooted in economic, diplomatic and military cooperation.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly come to Pakistan’s aid during financial crises, including through multibillion-dollar deposits in Pakistan’s central bank and deferred oil payment facilities in the past. Such support has helped Islamabad shore up its foreign currency reserves and even unlock International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout programs during periods of acute external financing pressure.
“Saudi Arabia has always stood by Pakistan in times of adversity,” Sadiq said during the meeting, thanking the crown prince for Riyadh’s consistent backing.
“We hope that ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will grow even stronger,” he added.
According to the National Assembly, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reiterated his commitment to addressing challenges facing the Muslim world.
The speaker’s meeting follows a two-day trip to the Kingdom last week by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who performed Umrah alongside Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and other senior officials.
During the visit, Sharif thanked Saudi leadership for its role during last month’s military standoff between Pakistan and India and praised Riyadh’s efforts to promote regional and global stability.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have also been expanding their economic ties.
In October last year, the two countries signed business-to-business agreements and memoranda of understanding worth $2.8 billion aimed at boosting trade and investment.


Pakistan to unveil economic survey today as National Assembly clears federal budget schedule

Updated 44 min 19 sec ago
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Pakistan to unveil economic survey today as National Assembly clears federal budget schedule

  • The economic survey outlines key socio-economic achievements and shortfalls of an outgoing fiscal year
  • The federal budget is scheduled for a vote on June 26, a day before supplementary grants are finalized

KARACHI: Pakistan’s finance chief, Muhammad Aurangzeb, will present the Economic Survey 2024-25 today, Monday, a day after the National Assembly approved the schedule for the upcoming federal budget, according to the state media.

Traditionally released a day before the budget announcement, the economic survey outlines key socio-economic achievements and shortfalls of an outgoing fiscal year. It serves as a snapshot of the country’s economic performance across sectors such as agriculture, industry, services, energy, information technology and telecom, health, education and transport.

The annual document also reviews trends in major economic indicators including inflation, trade and payments, public debt, population, employment, climate change and social protection. Invitations for the launch ceremony at the Pakistan Secretariat in Islamabad were circulated by the finance ministry on Sunday.

“Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb will release the Economic Survey 2024-25 at a ceremony to be held in Islamabad on Monday,” the Radio Pakistan reported.

Meanwhile, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency said Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had approved the schedule for the upcoming budget sessions for the 2025–26 fiscal year.

According to the schedule, the federal budget will be presented on June 10, followed by a two-day recess. A general debate will begin on June 13 and continue through June 21, with time allocated for all parliamentary parties in line with Assembly rules.

No sitting will be held on June 22. Charged expenditures for the next fiscal year will be taken up on June 23, followed by discussions and voting on Demands for Grants and Cut Motions on June 24 and 25.

The Finance Bill 2025 is scheduled for a vote on June 26, and supplementary grants and related matters will be finalized on June 27.

The federal budget will be announced as Pakistan navigates a fragile economic recovery under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.

The country’s annual inflation rate rose to 3.5% in May, though officials say the macroeconomic outlook has improved on the back of a stronger current account balance and increased remittances.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal recently said the government had earmarked Rs1 trillion ($3.5 billion) for development projects in the upcoming budget.

Authorities have pledged to maintain macroeconomic stability, advance structural reforms and ensure growth translates into inclusive progress.


Pakistan to unveil Economic Survey 2024-25 on Monday

Updated 42 min 6 sec ago
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Pakistan to unveil Economic Survey 2024-25 on Monday

  • The survey will include details about performance and trends of various sectors in outgoing fiscal year
  • The survey will be followed by federal budget, which is expected to lay out targets for macroeconomic stability

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will unveil its Economic Survey 2024-25 tomorrow, Monday, and detail major socio-economic achievements of the outgoing fiscal year, Pakistani state media reported.

The survey will include details about performance and economic trends of various sectors, including agriculture, industry, services, energy, information technology and telecommunications, capital markets, health, education and transport.

Annual trends of major economic indicators regarding inflation, trade and payments, public debt, population, employment, climate change, and social protection will also be part of the survey.

“Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb will release the Economic Survey-2024-25 at a ceremony to be held in Islamabad,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.

The survey will be followed by the presentation of the national budget. The earlier dates for the announcement of Economic Survey 2024-25 and federal Budget 2025-26 were June 1 and June 2, respectively, but the government extended the dates to June 6 and June 7.

Pakistan is currently bolstered by a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program and is navigating a long path to economic recovery. The country’s annual inflation rate rose to 3.5 percent in May, though its macroeconomic outlook has improved in recent months, supported by a stronger current account balance and increased remittances.

The Pakistani government says it remains committed to maintaining macroeconomic stability, accelerating structural reforms, and ensuring that economic growth translates into real and inclusive progress for all citizens.

Earlier this month, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced the government has allocated Rs1 trillion ($3.5 billion) for development projects in the upcoming budget for fiscal year 2025-26.


Pakistan to face off Myanmar in AFC Asian Cup qualifier on Tuesday

Updated 08 June 2025
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Pakistan to face off Myanmar in AFC Asian Cup qualifier on Tuesday

  • The Pakistan team arrived in Yangon via private airline flight on Sunday
  • Pakistan are placed in Group E alongside Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Syria

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will face off Myanmar on Tuesday to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup tournament, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said on Sunday.

The Pakistan team arrived in Yangon via private airline flight on Sunday, according to the PFF. They will train in Yangon on Monday.

“The match between Pakistan and Myanmar will be held at Thuwana Stadium,” it said. “It will start at 3:30 PM according to Pakistani time.”

Pakistan have been training under the supervision of head coach Stephen Constantine in hopes of bouncing back from a 2-0 defeat to Syria in the campaign opener back in March.

Pakistan are placed in Group E alongside Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Syria.


At least five injured as fire engulfs multiple factories in Pakistan’s Karachi

Updated 08 June 2025
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At least five injured as fire engulfs multiple factories in Pakistan’s Karachi

  • The city, home to hundreds of thousands of industrial units, has fragile firefighting system and poor safety controls
  • In November last year, a blaze erupted at a shopping mall killing around a dozen people and injuring several others

KARACHI: At least five persons were injured after a fire engulfed multiple factories in the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi, Rescue 1122 officials said on Sunday, with efforts underway to douse the blaze.

The fire affected four factories, including YG Textile and MF Roomi Textile, at the Landhi Export Processing Zone, with 11 fire brigade trucks and one snorkel taking part in the firefighting operation.

The operation was facing difficulties due to the intensity of smoke and shortage of water in the city of roughly 20 million people, according to rescue officials.

“Five people were injured after part of an affected building collapsed,” Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hasaan Khan told Arab News. “The injured were shifted to the hospital.”

The Rescue 1122 team is making efforts to control the blaze by utilizing all possible resources, Khan added.

Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and commercial capital, is home to hundreds of thousands of industrial units and some of the tallest buildings in the South Asian country. The megapolis, known for its fragile firefighting system and poor safety controls, witnesses hundreds of fire incidents annually.

In Nov. last year, a blaze at a shopping mall killed around a dozen people and injured several others. In April 2023, four firefighters died and nearly a dozen others were injured after a blaze erupted at a garment factory, while 10 people were killed in a massive fire at a chemical factory in the city in August 2021.

In the deadliest such incident, 260 people were killed in 2012 after being trapped inside a garment factory when a fire broke out.