Gilgit-Baltistan — the way it was

I visit GB quite regularly, given its relentless charm, its unending beauty and its irresistible appeal. From fables to scenery to food to people, this vast tapestry of nature is a bountiful part of lovely Pakistan, waiting to be fully explored and optimally experienced, in all seasons.

The visit past week, however, spotlighted certain areas that need urgent attention. Traffic in Gilgit City that is sprawling in all directions is bad, to say it nicely. During school rush, getting around even in this off-peak tourist season is difficult. Broken roads, absent traffic cops and congestion because of the smuggled NCP (non-custom paid) vehicles make road travel and commute a nightmare. The official company contracted for laying sewerage line along the main road in the City was busy digging the recently carpeted road(s) through the centre, having done it elsewhere in the City.

It was pointed out that sewerage lines and storm drains are laid either under the sidewalk/footpath or along the edge of the roads, to avoid re-digging every time there is a blockage. Some rocket science here, which evades common sense.

During a night stroll in Karimabad/Hunza's famous semi-circle bazar in subzero temperature after some 35 years, it was shocking to see how time stood still all these years, leaving no marks of visible development and improvements other than congestion, more broken roads, dirt and filth.

The past tourist season was bad for GB, because access to this beautiful wilderness remains limited, arduous and dangerous. After phasing out the Fokker, PIA operates its very limited fleet (perhaps two) of ATR planes with short take-off and landing ability, needed for Gilgit Airport which cannot land larger Boeing due to shorter runway. There are seemingly no plans in near future to build a larger airport for Gilgit due to lack of political will more than the touted 'paucity of funds'.

Skardu Airport can land the larger Boeing planes and now takes flights from other cities, like Karachi. After a long time, PIA realised the doability of operating such flights in addition to the traditional Islamabad-Skardu route. Besides PIA, only one other private carrier is allowed to operate on this route, which it does in tourist season only. Skardu is fast emerging as a tourist hub, if the religious extremists would let it flourish.

Road traffic along the idyllic Karakorum Highway (KKH) is also no easy matter. From Islamabad, the recently opened Hazara Motorway takes you smoothly to Thakot Bridge. Branching off at Mansehra, the more scenic and shorter Babusar Pass loop, joins KKH again ahead of Chilas, but only in summers. Besides the deteriorating road quality on this loop, Babusar Pass remains closed due to snowfall from October to April. Keeping it open is again hi-tech rocket science.

The main KKH from Thakot to Chilas is in extremely poor condition, due to construction of Diamer-Bhasha-Dasu dam projects. For some 100 km, there is no road, and commuters not knowing the road-opening times, must wait at three places in freezing conditions in winter, for the construction crews to clear the debris.

The link that connects Gilgit to Chitral via Gupis, Phander Lake and Shandur Pass — the famous Tourism Corridor — has been under construction since eternity. The sluggish pace of work does not allow prospective tourists to explore the pretty Ishkoman and Yasin Valleys along this Axis, besides numerous other hidden spots.

All three main urban areas — Gilgit, Skardu and Karimabad - face mushroom growth, ill-planned urbanisation and congestion. Construction is haphazard, ugly, and connecting services especially the sewerage disposal is makeshift and improvised. One doubts if the local authorities even know and possess city master plans and/or urban planning skills. Most local officials do not seem to be properly trained and educated for this purpose. It was heartening to see a famous resort on the Atabad Lake (Hunza) closed, after it was found disposing of its untreated sewage into the pristine waters of Atabad Lake, thanks to social media activism. Besides connectivity, infrastructure and urban planning are glaring weaknesses of GB government, otherwise ranked very low on governance.

Electricity availability in an area with abundant natural potential for small dams and power generation came as a true shock this time. Gilgit City, as residents complained and one personally experienced, gets electricity for just around two hours, low voltage and erratic fluctuations notwithstanding. Low water levels during winter in streams that generate electricity, Kargah Nullah for example, are generally cited responsible for low power generation, conveniently ignoring the perennial flows in Gilgit and Hunza Rivers that confluence in Gilgit. There is no 'worthwhile' effort to promote solar generation, although residents, like elsewhere, are doing so in limited numbers.

Lack of stable electricity affects area communications provided under the ably led and organised, Special Communication Organization (SCO), a Pakistan Army subsidiary that provides landline, cellular, data and internet connectivity in GB and AJK. Dearth of electric power raises SCO's connectivity cost due to heavy reliance on fuel-run generators, making the business economically unviable. No major mobile company 'reportedly' is willing to enter the GB market due to low returns and high costs, as clientele is small and scattered. SCO also is handicapped to upgrade its infrastructure due to low profitability etc. SCO-enabled incubation centres, which facilitate free lancing by GB youth, are also affected by the cited connectivity issues.

Two areas are encouraging. First, the number of schools operating in the nook and cranny of GB and the enthusiasm with which people educate their kids. Some schools even operate two shifts. Education, even up to Master's level, is now available locally at people's doorsteps. Second is health. There are more and better health facilities now available to the people in remote areas. In both these areas, the womenfolk lead the charge. Most girls, after necessary medical training elsewhere (especially Karachi and Islamabad) return to serving their communities. In both the areas, the Agha Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) has been effectively contributing, especially to the Ismaili community areas.

One hopes the GB government would wake up from its slumber to enhance connectivity, at least.