Climate disasters displace 1,000 G-B families every year: CM

GILGIT:

Nearly 1,000 households in Gilgit-Baltistan are affected by glacial floods and other climate-related disasters every year, losing their homes, crops and livelihoods, while the government faces the recurring challenge of rehabilitating and resettling displaced families, Chief Minister Amjad Hussain said on Tuesday.

Addressing the Mountain Women Climate Award 2026 ceremony as chief guest, the chief minister said climate change was no longer a distant warning for Gilgit-Baltistan but an increasingly harsh reality as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and flash floods repeatedly threaten human settlements, agricultural land and critical infrastructure.

He called for coordinated national and international efforts to protect the region's glaciers, strengthen scientific research and address the growing climate risks.

"The glaciers of Gilgit-Baltistan are a vital water reservoir for the whole of Pakistan, and joint and practical steps at national and international levels are indispensable for their protection," he said.

The chief minister said Gilgit-Baltistan was situated at the confluence of three of the world's great mountain ranges and was home to nearly 8,000 glaciers. Many settlements were located downstream of glaciers, where glacial lake outbursts and sudden floods could cause extensive damage to entire villages.

"Every year, around a thousand households are affected, houses and crops are destroyed, and the government faces the difficult phase of rehabilitating and resettling the affected families. This situation, which has continued for the past several decades, remains a major challenge for the coming years as well," he said.

He said climate-related disasters also inflicted extensive damage on essential infrastructure, including roads, power houses, schools and colleges. Billions of rupees were spent every year on their restoration, placing additional pressure on the region's already limited development resources.

The chief minister said that, until recently, there had been no dedicated institution tasked with protecting glaciers and studying the risks associated with them. In view of this need, the Glacier Protection Authority (GPA) had been established.

He stressed the importance of scientifically assessing the effects of climate change on glaciers situated at different altitudes and developing appropriate protective measures.