“The Attabad landslide and the unusual rains in Pakistan are a consequence of the varying global environment. However, the unusual rains that pummelled Pakistan this year will not repeat in the future”, Winiger, who is former Rector Bonn University, remarked, while talking to an exclusive gathering at the Karakoram International University (KIU) in Gilgit on Tuesday.
The vice chancellor KIU, Dr Najma Najam, faculty members and dozens of other environmentalists attended the lecture.
In his lecture, the German professor said that pollution and population growth were the two key issues that Pakistan faced currently. “Pakistani people need to be made aware of these issues and the role of educated people in this connection is very significant,” he said, adding that experts from western countries were examining the changes taking place in the mountain ranges of Himalaya, Hindukush, and the Karakoram, for which Gilgit was the junction point.
He also stated that Gilgit was once a glacier, and that the occurrence of geographical changes in Gilgit and surrounding areas were omnipresent. “The history of these changes can help us find out changes likely to take place, for which purpose we need to investigate scientifically and gather statistics along scientific lines,” said Dr Matthias Winiger.
“It’s a great opportunity for KIU’s teaching faculty and also for the students to come forward and be part of any such study groups,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2010.
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