Environmental Alarm Bells in Gilgit–Baltistan

Unchecked Chinese Projects Threaten Himalayan Ecology

- SYED JAHANZEEB

Gilgit-Baltistan remains one of the most ecologically unique and culturally rich regions of South Asia.

With its colossal glaciers, snow-capped peaks, and ancient valleys, the area has long captured the imagination of mountaineers and travelers alike. Yet behind its breathtaking landscapes, Gilgit-Baltistan now faces an unsettling environmental crisis, largely fuelled by a surge of Chinese-funded infrastructure projects whose scale and pace have outstripped environmental oversight.

At the heart of this transformation is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multi-billion-dollar venture designed to knit together China's western provinces with Pakistan's deep-water ports. In Gilgit-Baltistan, this has translated into an ambitious slate of megaprojects, including dams like Diamer-Bhasha and Bunji, new roads and tunnels that cut through ancient rock, and the expansion of the Karakoram Highway to accommodate heavier freight movement. While these projects promise economic uplift, they have raised deep concerns about irreversible harm to the region's fragile ecology.

The Diamer-Bhasha Dam alone, for instance, is expected to submerge over 100 square kilometers of land, displacing thousands of residents and erasing cultural heritage sites that have stood for centuries. The construction work, powered by diesel machinery and heavy blasting, sends plumes of dust and pollutants into the valleys. This adds to the pressures on glaciers that are already retreating at alarming rates due to climate change. Environmental researchers warn that the glacial melt threatens the long-term water security of not just Gilgit-Baltistan, but also the plains of Pakistan, which rely heavily on these frozen reserves.