Pakistan races to protect mountain villages from runaway glaciers

1 / 3
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
Follow

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.


Army major among two soldiers, 11 militants killed in Pakistan’s restive northwest

Updated 4 sec ago
Follow

Army major among two soldiers, 11 militants killed in Pakistan’s restive northwest

  • The casualties occurred during an intelligence-based operation in South Waziristan district, which borders Afghanistan
  • Pakistan and India often accuse each other of backing militant groups that launch cross-border attacks on the other’s soil

ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani soldiers, including an army major, and 11 militants were killed in a shootout in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the Pakistani military said on Tuesday.

The operation was conducted in KP’s South Waziristan district, which borders Afghanistan, on intelligence reports about the presence of “Indian-sponsored” militants, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.

The intense exchange of fire killed 11 militants and injured seven others. The shootout also left two Pakistani soldiers, Major Moiz Abbas Shah and Lance Naik Jibran Ullah, dead.

“Sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored kharji [militant] found in the area,” the ISPR said in a statement.
Pakistan and India often blame each other for supporting militancy.

Islamabad accuses India of backing a separatist insurgency in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province as well as religiously motivated militant groups, like the Pakistani Taliban, in KP. India denies the allegations.

Pakistan has struggled to contain a surge in militancy in KP since a fragile truce between the Pakistani Taliban, or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Islamabad broke down in late 2022. The TTP and other militant groups have frequently targeted security forces convoys and check-posts, besides targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials in the region in recent months.

In a statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to Major Shah and Lance Naik Jibran Ullah for thwarting the evil designs of the enemy.

“We will continue the fight against the scourge of terrorism until it is completely eradicated from the country,” he said. “The entire nation, including me, stands by our Pakistani forces in their unwavering resolve to protect the homeland.”


In call with Iran president, Pakistan PM urges dialogue to restore peace in Middle East

Updated 31 min 42 sec ago
Follow

In call with Iran president, Pakistan PM urges dialogue to restore peace in Middle East

  • The development came a day after Tehran attacked a US base in Qatar in retaliation for airstrikes on its nuclear facilities
  • The crisis appeared to put Islamabad in a difficult position to balance its equation with Iran, other Gulf partners, and the US

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for the third time in as many days and urged dialogue and diplomacy to restore peace in the Middle East, Sharif’s office said.

The development came a day after Tehran attacked a United States (US) base in Qatar in retaliation for US airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities late last week. The US strikes followed days of Israeli attacks on Iran’s nuclear program and military leadership.

Qatar condemned the Iranian missile attack and called it a “flagrant violation” of its sovereignty, saying it reserved the right to respond directly and in accordance with the international law. The Iranian attack raised fears about a wider conflict in the already volatile region.

The crisis appeared to put Islamabad in a difficult position to balance its equation with Iran, other Gulf partners, and the US, which remains one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners and a critical source of military and economic assistance.

“The prime minister said that Pakistan was closely following the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East. He emphasized the importance of restoring peace through dialogue and diplomacy,” Sharif’s office said after his telephonic conversation with the Iranian president.

“He reiterated Pakistan’s support for Iran at all diplomatic forums, including at the UN Security Council and the OIC [Organization of Islamic Cooperation], while calling for adherence to international law and the UN Charter principles, by all sides.”

The development came hours after US President Donald Trump said that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire” to be phased in over 24 hours.

But Israel warned its public to take shelter after detecting missile launches from Iran early Tuesday. The launches came after 4am local time in Tehran, the time Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would stop its attacks if Israel ended their airstrikes.

It was unclear yet how the latest developments would impact the possible ceasefire agreement.

President Pezeshkian appreciated Pakistan’s consistent and principled support to Iran throughout the crisis, according to Sharif’s office.

“He also acknowledged Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting a peaceful resolution to the conflict,” it said. “The two leaders agreed on the importance of unity among the Ummah during this most challenging time. They agreed to remain in touch.”


Pakistan boosts intelligence-sharing with Gulf states to curb drug trafficking

Updated 24 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan boosts intelligence-sharing with Gulf states to curb drug trafficking

  • The development comes months after Islamabad hosted the Pakistan-Gulf Cooperation Council Counter-Narcotics Conference
  • Oman has appointed its drug liaison officer in Pakistan, reflecting shared commitment to drug-free Gulf and South Asia

KARACHI: Pakistan and Gulf countries have intensified efforts to combat drug trafficking by enhancing intelligence-sharing, Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) said on Tuesday, with Oman appointing a drug liaison officer in Islamabad.

The development comes months after Islamabad hosted the Pakistan-Gulf Cooperation Council (Pak-GCC) Counter-Narcotics Conference, marking the first-ever formal assembly of anti-narcotics leadership from Pakistan and all six GCC member states, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait along with special observers from Italy.

For years, drug traffickers have exploited geographical and technological loopholes, using Pakistan as a transit hub and GCC nations as lucrative markets, according to the ANF. Despite ongoing efforts, the scale of smuggling seizures continues to expand, with traffickers now leveraging the dark web, cryptocurrency, and synthetic drug manufacturing to evade law enforcement agencies.

“During the conference, the Director-General of Narcotics of the Sultanate of Oman announced the appointment of drug liaison officer in Pakistan,” the ANF said in a statement.

“Acting on this decision, Mr. Suleiman Al-Hanai has been appointed as Oman’s first Drug Liaison Officer in Pakistan who has assumed his official responsibilities in Islamabad.”

The announcement signals a new phase in relations between the two countries as they align their efforts in the global war on drugs, according to the ANF. The appointment reflects a shared commitment by Pakistan and Oman to safeguard their societies and promote a drug-free environment across the Gulf and South Asian regions.

In recent years, the ANF has successfully intercepted tones of illicit drugs, dismantled trafficking rings through road, border, dry port, airport and sea routes, and strengthened global relationships. With its advanced intelligence capabilities and strategic operations, the ANF has intensified collaboration with GCC security agencies, ensuring that traffickers find no safe passage between these regions.

In June 2024, the ANF also stepped up its international cooperation against drug trafficking through a workshop backed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, uniting national, regional and global agencies to strengthen data-sharing and coordination.


Pakistan stocks see strong recovery as Iran-Israel ceasefire reports boost investor sentiment

Updated 24 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan stocks see strong recovery as Iran-Israel ceasefire reports boost investor sentiment

  • US President Donald Trump said Monday that Israel and Iran had agreed to a ‘complete’ ceasefire to be phased in over 24 hours
  • Analyst says the momentum is likely to continue, with valuations still shy of a long-term mean and due to market-friendly budget

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Tuesday witnessed a strong recovery amid a reported ceasefire between Israel and Iran, traders and analysts said.

On Monday, United States (US) President Donald Trump said on social media that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire” to be phased in over 24 hours.

The benchmark KSE-100 index surged by 6,079 points, or 5.23 percent, to close at 122,246 points on Tuesday afternoon, compared to the previous day’s close of 116,167 points.

“Stocks closed near all-time high after Iran, Israel agreed to a ceasefire receding fears of escalation in the Middle East tensions,” Ahsan Mehanti of Arif Habib Corporation told Arab News.

“Upbeat economic data on cement sales for Jul-May’25, bull run in global equities and receding fears over high inflation, impact on exports for supply disruptions over Middle East conflict played a catalyst role in the record bullish close.”

Raza Jafri, head of research at Intermarket Securities Ltd., attributed the momentum to reduction in international oil prices along with settling regional tensions.

In volatile trading on Tuesday, crude futures slumped more than five percent after Trump’s declaration of the Iran-Israel ceasefire.

“With valuations still shy of a long-term mean and Pakistan having recently unveiled a market-friendly budget, bullish momentum is expected to continue,” Jafri added.

On Monday, Pakistan’s stocks and currency markets had tumbled as investors reacted to the US foray into the Israel-Iran conflict a day earlier.

Monday’s 3.2 percent fall to 116,167 points was the worst since May 8, when the index had plunged 5.9 percent day-on-day during the India-Pakistan military standoff.


Pakistan reaches out to key allies amid ‘serious escalation’ in Middle East tensions

Updated 24 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan reaches out to key allies amid ‘serious escalation’ in Middle East tensions

  • PM meets envoys of China, Saudi Arabia and Qatar as Iran-Israel conflict risks wider regional war
  • Iran fired missiles at US base in Qatar on Monday, triggering fears of escalation despite ceasefire call

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday met with the ambassadors of Pakistan’s key allies China, Saudi Arabia and Qatar in Islamabad, as the foreign office expressed concern over a “serious escalation” in Middle East tensions.

Sharif’s meetings with the envoys took place a day after Iran launched missiles against a US air base in Qatar on Monday, causing no casualties, in retaliation for the US dropping 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on Iranian underground nuclear facilities over the weekend. Hours later, US President Donald Trump made a surprise announcement of an Israel-Iran ceasefire agreement, suggesting he may have bombed Tehran’s rulers back to the negotiating table.

Tensions have remained high since June 13, when Israel struck Iran’s nuclear facilities and targeted senior military leadership. Iran has since retaliated with repeated missile strikes against Israel, raising fears of a wider regional conflict and prompting international calls for restraint.

“Pakistan expresses its deep concern and alarm at the serious escalation in the security situation in the region as a result of attacks against USA’s Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement on Tuesday, urging all sides to exercise restraint and respect fundamental principles of international law.

On Monday morning, Sharif held separate meetings with Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki and Qatari envoy Ali Mubarak Ali Essa Al-Khater.

“Pakistan will continue to work closely with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for peace in the region through dialogue and diplomacy” the PM said on his X account. 

Sharif also met Qatari envoy Al-Khater to express solidarity with the Gulf country following Iran’s attack on the air base.

In the afternoon, the premier met China’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, who, according to a statement from Sharif’s office, “lauded the proactive and positive role being played by Pakistan at every diplomatic forum, including at the UN Security Council, for a peaceful settlement of the [Middle East] crisis through dialogue and diplomacy.” 

China has sought to expand its diplomatic footprint in the Middle East in recent years and notably brokered the Saudi Arabia–Iran rapprochement in 2023, which boosted its credibility as a regional peacemaker. It has also offered to help mediate the current crisis, though it plays a more behind-the-scenes role compared to the US or regional states like Qatar or Oman.

Pakistan has condemned Israel’s strikes against Iran and repeatedly called for de-escalation in the region.

Islamabad has also offered diplomatic support to Tehran at international forums and defended Iran’s right to respond to Israeli and US aggression under the UN Charter, carefully balancing this stance with its close security cooperation and economic partnership with the United States, a major backer of Israel.

The US and Israel say their goal is to cripple Tehran’s nuclear program.