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The government needs to act fast. Gojal should be declared a calamity-hit area, extending rightful facilities to its residents. The debris removal work should be expedited by extending the shifts to 24 hours and increasing the labour and number of machines
“But at my back I always hear time’s winged chariot hurrying near; And yonder all before us lie deserts of vast eternity” — Andrew Marvell: ‘To His Coy Mistress’.
The inhabitants of Gojal can hear, feel, and dread the nimble footfalls of water that is rising, extending, and seeping into newly found tracks, obliterating everything on its way. Their days are obsessed with the fear of fast approaching water. Their night’s sleep is marred by the nightmares of ferocious waves of the Hunza River. Will it catch us unawares? Is it a matter of weeks, or days or hours? Among them are also young girls and boys whose schools are either damaged or on the list of potential targets of brutal water, gushing out and gulping whatever comes in its way.
It started with the landslide at Atta Abad on January 4 this year when 20 people died and a number of houses caved in. The calamity did not stop here; rather it acted as a precursor to a tragedy of much greater magnitude. The debris, as a result of landslides, obstructed the flow of River Hunza and formed an artificial lake whose level is rising by the minute. The length of the barrier is 3,000 meters, width 550 meters, and height 135 meters. The artificial lake is around 11 km long. The reservoir is 171 million cubic meters. Until now (first week of March), the water has played havoc, damaging a three kilometre piece of Karakoram highway and is beginning to enter the low-lying areas of Kishkat, Gulmit, Hussaini and Passu. The longest bridge between Shishkat and Gulmit has already been submerged, severing Gojal’s link with the outer world Continue reading The sinking paradise of Gojal
ISLAMABAD: The people of Gilgit-Baltistan are true Pakistanis and they are in favour of getting the status of a province of Pakistan, said the speaker of the area’s legislative assembly Wazir Baig here on Saturday.
Addressing the media in the National Press Club along with Deputy Speaker Jamil Ahmed, Mr Baig said the residents of Gilgit-Baltistan had rendered sacrifices for more than six decades for resolution of Kashmir issue despite the fact that the region had never been a part of the Jammu Kashmir state even during Dogra rule.
“The region was a remote part of the Dogra rule, not a unit of the Kashmir state,” he said, adding granting the status of a province to the region would not have any negative impact on the Kashmir cause.
He also stressed the need for speeding up efforts to clear the artificial lake formed by a landslide on Hunza river at Attabad. Continue reading Gojal should be declared “calamity hit” Wazir Baig
By Nadeem Aman Rumi
Karachi(HT): The members and the supporters of SAVE-GOJAL HUNZA committee are on hunger strike in front of Karachi press club since 23rd febaray 2010. The activists has demanded to accelerate the pace of work to release the water of the artifical lake formed due to the Attabad land slide and increase the time of working to 24 hours. They have demanded to increase the number of machines, declare Gojal calamity hit area and declare the victims as IDPs. Sattle the effecties of Shishkat and Ayeenabad adn provide them instant help, Replace the boats provided by the Government to avoid more disasters.The activists also demanded to improve the halicopter and increase.
Member national assembly Marvi Memon joins the activists in hunger strike. She express her sympathy with the victims of Attabad Hunza. She assured that she will convey their demand to PM and President and will raise this issue in assembly floor.
Strike will continue till their demands are met.
Photographs (Nadeem A Rumi)
 PHOTO BY RIZWAN BURCHA SHARED BY SHAMS HUNZAI Gilgit ( HT ) : A child with a very rare genetic skin disorder Harlequin-type ichthyosis was born in Gilgit Friday night that brought dozens of people to the hospital to catch a glimpse of the child.
According to details, the child has red stripes all over the body and his hands are different than normal human babies. Eyelids of the baby are also severely averted, which leaves the eyes and the area around them very susceptible to trauma whereas the lips are pulled by the dry skin.
According to Dr Iftikhar, a pediatrician, the child is suffering from a rare skin disease Harlequin-type ichthyosis due to which the body looks like a tiger. He said that continuous cousin marriages may result in such cases.
In Pakistan, four such cases have been reported so far and all four died soon after the birth.
In the past, the disorder was invariably fatal, whether due to dehydration, infection (sepsis), restricted breathing due to the plating, or other related causes. The most common cause of death was systemic infection and sufferers rarely survived for more than a few days. However, there have been improvements in care due to modern medical practices.
The oldest known survivor is 24-year old Nusrit Nelly Shaheen. Most sufferers die when they are babies.
Skardo: A comprehensive economic package was being prepared for socio-economic uplift of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), said Asian Development Bank (ADB) sources.
Talking to the media, the sources said, the proposed package would prove helpful in accelerating development work in the region.
A high level meeting of Asian Development Bank, World Bank (WB) and Gilgit-Baltistan administration was held in Islamabad to discuss the package, the sources said.
According to details, ADB and WB would invest jointly in mega projects of Health, Education, Agriculture, Power, Social uplift, Tourism, Mineral, and environment sectors in Gilgit Baltistan
The sources said public representatives and political leaders would also be invited in near future to discuss the package further in detail to formulate a comprehensive package. —APP
Hunza(HT): Shehzad Ali of Rahimabad, Aliabad Hunza, a brilliant student of GCCE Hunza Campus lost his life today at Attabad Sliding. Shehzad was serving his duty as a Boys Scout on behalf of Rahmiabad Jamat Khana at land slide affected side Attabad Hunza. He was helping the people in transportation of goods at Attabad Hunza. He was on duty when land slide hit Shehzad along with three other.They were brought to the hospital at Hunza. Later on he could not survive more and passed away.
Note: Hunzatimes extends heartiest condolence to the bereaved family of Shehzad and salute this young scout for rendering service for humanity.
By Piyar Ali Sagi (HT)
The administration of Karakurum International University relaxed the students of most effected areas of upper Hunza from their Tutition Fee, until rehabilitation. After submitting application at Vice chancellor office, the decision come out that the students belongs to Atta Abad, Shishkat, and Ayen Abad will accomodate at University and has been relaxed from tutition fee.
This is a very effective decision for the students of this area, to overcome their problems.
By Piyar Ali Sagi
Hunza(HT): Today Landsliding at Atta Abad Hunza hits a three persons. According to the Source during work at Blockade area the sudden landslide hits a scout, Excavator Driver and FWO person. The scout is badly injured and admitted at hospital for treatment, and the other two persons discharged after first aid.
A petition seeking declaration to ‘promulgation of Gilgit- Baltistan (empowerment and self-governance) Order 2009’ as ultra vires of the constitution was filed here in the Supreme Court on Thursday.
The petition was filed by one Shafqat Ali Khan, resident of Tehsil Puniyal, District Ghizar under Article 184(3) of the Constitution through Muhammad Ikram Chaudhry advocate making the Federation of Pakistan as respondent.
It was contended in the petition that the order 2009 was in total negation of the rights of the citizens belonging to Gilgit and Baltistan and in disregard of the Constitution of Pakistan. “The order of 2009 gives a formula inconsistent with the constitution, thus it is liable to be cancelled and declared ultra-vires of the constitution”, the petition said.
It said the order of 2009 is even against the directions issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 1999 SCMR 1379 etc and does not envisage an independent judiciary nor does it guarantee the fundamental rights to the petitioner and public at large as envisaged by the constitution and law. Continue reading Gilgit-Baltistan Order 2009 challenged in Supreme Court
The mastermind of hand grenade bomb attack in Gilgit has been arrested from Abbottabad, Gilgit police reported on Wednesday.
The NWFP police have arrested a wanted criminal and mastermind of the attack on former deputy speaker Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, Syed Asad Zaidi. The detained terrorist, Faizan, was sought in various murder and terrorism related cases.
Faizan and his accomplice were involved in terrorism activities including the murder of former deputy speaker Asad Zaidi, Bagrot Hostel bomb blast, Al-Murtaza Book Center bomb attack and Masjid Zainul Abideen bomb blast.
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