When Mountains Burn

Safia Noor

Karachi: In the icy heart of Pakistan’s northern highlands—where the mountains once stood as bastions of cool relief—a dangerous transformation is underway. This July, two of Gilgit-Baltistan’s major towns, Chilas and Bunji, shattered all previous temperature records.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) confirmed that Chilas hit a blistering 48.5°C on July 5, while Bunji scorched its way to 46.1°C—both well above historical extremes.

Let’s be clear: these aren’t random fluctuations. These are signs. Warnings. Alarms from the mountains that the climate clock is ticking faster than ever—and Pakistan is running out of time.

For a region whose normal summer daytime temperatures once hovered comfortably between 29°C and 32°C, the 15-20°C spike is not just uncomfortable—it’s catastrophic. These are not anomalies; they are the frontlines of climate change. And the implications go far beyond melting ice—they affect ecosystems, agriculture, infrastructure, and human lives.

Gilgit-Baltistan holds over 5,200 glaciers, including the largest outside the polar regions. These glaciers aren’t just stunning—they are lifelines, feeding the Indus River that supports millions downstream. But they are vanishing.

According to a 2023 report by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), glaciers in the Eastern Himalayas and Hindu Kush are losing mass at an alarming rate of up to 1 metre water equivalent per year. If emissions stay on course, this loss could double by 2050.

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Already, more than 30 glacial lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are highly vulnerable to bursting, and at least 24 Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) have struck Pakistan in the past 12 years—most during summer heatwaves.

One such flood in May 2022 in Hunza damaged bridges, displaced families, and exposed the region’s lack of preparedness. And now, with Chilas and Bunji boiling under record heat, the risk of further GLOFs and high-altitude flooding near the Indus basin is very real.

The climate crisis in Gilgit-Baltistan isn’t just about melting ice—it’s about livelihoods under threat. About 70 percent of the region’s population depends on subsistence farming and livestock.

Crops like maize and wheat are already vulnerable to late frost and erratic rainfall; now they face heat stress and increased evapotranspiration. Livestock, too, are wilting under extreme temperatures, becoming more prone to disease and less productive—an outcome worsened by the region’s inadequate veterinary care.

Then there’s the public health emergency. A 2024 report by Aga Khan Health Services Pakistan noted a 24 percent spike in heat-related illnesses in Gilgit and Chilas during periods of intense heat.

Children and the elderly are especially at risk, facing dehydration, respiratory issues, and in extreme cases, heat stroke. In a high-altitude society with limited healthcare infrastructure, the implications are deadly.

Even infrastructure is cracking. Permafrost is thawing. Roads like the Karakoram Highway are buckling under landslides and heat-induced erosion. Power systems are strained, with unreliable hydropower production and a surging demand for cooling.

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Despite these escalating risks, the policy response remains disturbingly inadequate. Gilgit-Baltistan receives less than 1 percent of Pakistan’s development budget, according to the Planning Commission’s 2022 data. Institutional capacity is weak. Early warning systems are outdated or inaccessible in rural areas. In short: the region is burning while the state looks away.

First, expand meteorological infrastructure. Currently, fewer than 15 automated weather stations cover this vast, glacier-rich terrain. Real-time glacier and hydrologic monitoring is essential for timely flood warnings and disaster management.

Second, invest in climate-resilient agriculture. Heat- and drought-resistant seeds, smart irrigation systems, and diversified crop choices can protect food security. The GLOF-II project, launched with UNDP and the Green Climate Fund, must scale beyond pilot villages and include at-risk zones like Bunji and Diamer.

Third, prioritize community-based adaptation. Disaster preparedness training, elevated flood shelters, and public awareness campaigns can build local resilience. Traditional knowledge—such as rainwater harvesting, crop rotation, and indigenous architecture—should be preserved and promoted.

And finally, make national climate strategy locally informed. Pakistan ranks 8th on the Global Climate Risk Index, yet contributes less than 1 percent to global emissions. The upcoming National Adaptation Plan (NAP) must earmark specific funds for mountain regions like Gilgit-Baltistan. International climate finance must also be directed toward those already living the consequences of a crisis they didn’t create.

The record-breaking temperatures in Chilas and Bunji aren’t just weather anomalies. They’re sirens warning us of a deepening crisis. They reveal the fragility of our systems—natural, economic, and social—and the urgency for resilience.

If we fail to act, we won’t just lose glaciers. We’ll lose rivers. Livelihoods. Culture. A region of unmatched beauty and ecological importance. These mountains are burning—and if that doesn’t move us to act, what will?

Safia Noor is an MS Environmental Science scholar at Bahria University Karachi, dedicated to research on sustainability, climate resilience, and marine ecosystems.

The article is the writer’s opinion, it may or may not adhere to the organization’s editorial policy.