Introduction:
Understanding Gilgit-Baltistan’s Geopolitical Landscape
Pakistan’s northernmost region, Gilgit-Baltistan, shares a border of 596 km with China that traverses the Karakoram range. Pakistan is now deeply in debt to China; from weapon systems to economic bailouts to diplomatic support in various international forums, China is Pakistan’s go-to country.
The Karakoram Highway (KKH): A Marvel of Engineering
Gilgit-Baltistan hosts more than 2 million people and covers an area of 72,000 square kilometers. It is home to five of the eight-thousandths and more than fifty peaks above 7000 meters. The “One Belt and One Road” initiative’s “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor” (CPEC) serves as a game-changer project, connecting China and Pakistan via the Karakoram Highway (KKH), the “eight wonders of the world.“
The Juglot-Skardu Road (JSR): A Vital but Vulnerable Connection
Karakoram Highway (KKH) connects China with Pakistan through Gilgit-Baltistan, while the strategic road Juglot-Skardu Road (JSR) connects the Baltistan division of Gilgit-Baltistan to the rest of the regions via land.
Environmental and Geopolitical Challenges: Landslides and Climate Hazards
Baltistan divides one-fourth of Gilgit-Baltistan in terms of population. Baltistan’s four districts border with China and India through Karakoram Pass and the Kargil, Daras, Siachin, Chorbut, and Batalik sectors, making it an area of strategic importance.
The Human Impact: Risks and Realities for Local Communities
Both KKH and JSR are frequently disrupted by geological hazards, mainly landslides, and climate hazards, including glacier melting that causes glacier lake outburst floods (GLOF) or rainfall causing landslides, mudflow, and debris flow, thus resulting in complete suspension of transportation, supply chain, and mobility of people through KKH and JSR.
Future Perspectives: Safeguarding and Improving KKH and JSR
Gilgit-Baltistan has an annual precipitation of around 200 mm, most of it in the form of snow. The unpredictable weather and seasonal shift due to climate change in Gilgit-Baltistan hamper passes by mountains and disconnect regions from the rest, mostly raising a starvation-like situation in the mountainous region due to road blocks for indefinite time.
Conclusion: The Way Forward for KKH and JSR in Gilgit-Baltistan
It is the right time to think and lay stress over the execution of all environment- and economy-friendly measures to make KKH and JSR safer, more reliable, and more tourism-friendly, and to maintain constant traffic flow with the minimum risk of any climate hazards or geological hazards.
