GB Welcoming Another Juyline Spring
By Sultan Shoaib
Gilgit: With the end of harsh and chilling winter and spring just arriving, the Gilgit Baltistan region is preparing for another pleasant season of blooming flowers, singing brooks and streams and chirping birds.
As temperature starts rising and snow starts melting, the residents of these areas as well as the tourists are tightening their belts to take on thousands miles journeys to enjoy this glamorous season locally known as “Juyline Spring”
When the snow starts melting from mountain peaks, this season starts bringing new life to region—apricot trees bloom, glaciers melting fill rivers’ and lakes and communities become active again after the long, cold winter.
Tall pines, dozens of lakes, meadows, glaciers, plains and vast forests all present bounties of Nature bestowed to this region. From the advent of spring season till next winter, these areas remain center of tourism and amusement for millions of visitors.
When for many in GB, Juyline Spring just marks the start of tourist season, it also brings business opportunities, cultural celebrations, sports events for thousands other locals in Gilgit-Baltistan region.
Hotels and guesthouses in Hunza, Skardu and Ghizer get ready to welcome travelers from across Pakistan and other countries in every spring. Local businesses including handicraft sellers, transporters and food vendors see more customers as visitors throng to explore beautiful valleys.
Karim Ali, a hotel owner in Hunza, shares his hopes saying, “Spring is very important for our business. The last few years have been tough because of weak economy and the pandemic. But we hope this year will be better as we have already started receiving booking from tourists.”
It is very common that people in plain and hot areas every year hilly areas to take respite from scorching heat of areas in Punjab, Sindh and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Although it is attraction for majority to visit these areas during summer and businesses celebrate, many other locals yet worry about the negative effects of tourism without proper waste management, pollution caused by tourists and damages to environment and ecosystem.
Even though people are excited about spring, Gilgit-Baltistan still faces problems with roads and transport. The Karakoram Highway (KKH), which connects the region to rest of Pakistan, often gets blocked due to landslides.
Flights to and from Skardu and Gilgit are frequently delayed because of bad weather, making travelling difficult for both tourists and locals.
Sajid Hussain, a transport business owner says, “every year, landslide blocks the roads. The authorities fix them temporarily as a long term solution is still awaited. If we want tourism to help contribute more to our economy, we need better roads and other travelling options.”
“Another major issue is internet access. Many remote areas still do not have reliable internet, making it hard for businesses to grow and for people to stay connected with their kith and kin in rest of the country,” Sajid Hussain said.
Juyline Spring is also a season of cultural celebrations. Traditional music, dance, and polo matches bring people together and remind them of their rich heritage. However, with modern influences, fewer young people are taking part in these traditions.
Shazia Bano, an educationist and cultural activist comments, “we must work hard to keep our traditions alive. Schools and cultural groups should encourage young people to learn about our folk music, poetry and history.”
It is also with the advent of spring season that different organizations buttress efforts for environmental protection. Local NGOs and government agencies organize tree-planting campaigns and awareness programs about responsible tourism to protect GB’s delicate ecosystem.
Juyline Spring is not just about changing weather—it is also a time of transformation. The valleys turn green again, birds return after winter and farmers get ready to plant their crops. The sight of cherry and apricot blossoms covering the mountains is breathtaking, attracting photographers and nature lovers.
Spring is also crucial for agriculture. Farmers depend on the melting glaciers to water their crops like wheat, barley and fruit orchards. But as the temperature had been continuously during past decade, this global warming phenomenon is affecting glacier reserves, making water security a growing concern.
Therefore, it is urgently required to take steps for preserving our precious water resource emanating from GB glaciers for protecting our ecosystem as well as making our future generations to continue to enjoy blessings of Juyline Spring.
No doubt that the Gilgit-Baltistan region is a jewel on earth offering ample opportunities to tourists to take respite from scorching heat but also amuse from mesmerizing scenic beauty of this region.
But growing tourists’ influx and rising population is gradually bringing its resources under stress posing threat to environment, ecosystem, wildlife and flora and fauna.
No doubt, the season brings economic benefits and cultural joy, but problems like weak infrastructure, environmental risks and disappearing traditions need serious attention.
Therefore learning from experiences of other countries earning billions of dollars annually from tourism, we must also reset our priorities to fully benefit from our tourism potential giving it status of an industry and developing our tourists destination on modern lines providing all required facilities to local and foreign tourists.
