Author: Tanveer Ahmed

By Tanveer Ahmed GILGIT: The district administration has established 40 relief counters and activated seven complaint cells across the city to maintain price control and facilitate citizens during the holy month of Ramadan. Assistant Commissioner Gilgit, Captain (R) Adil Ali, said the measures are aimed at curbing profiteering and ensuring the availability of essential commodities at officially notified rates. The complaint cells have been set up in Jutial, Kalma Chowk, Kashrote, Zamir Abbas Chowk, Shaheed Millat Road, Konodas, and Puniyal Road, where municipal staff have been deployed to register public complaints. Citizens can report issues related to overpricing of essential…

By Tanveer Ahmad CHITRAL: Several villages in northern Pakistan have been cut off for nearly a month after heavy snowfall and repeated avalanches blocked the road beyond Garam Chashma in Chitral district. Residents say the route linking Garam Chashma to Gobor and at least three neighbouring villages has remained closed for about 28 days, leaving families to carry food and essential supplies on their shoulders from the last accessible point. Hamid Khan, a former village nazim in the area, said the situation had become increasingly difficult. “Vehicles can go only so far,” he said. “Beyond that, people have to load…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Police in Daraban successfully intercepted an attempt to smuggle 50 kilograms of silver during a timely operation within the jurisdiction of Daraban Police Station, officials said. According to sources, routine checking at the Darazinda check post led Check Post In-charge Muhammad Asif and ASI Allah Nawaz to stop a suspicious vehicle, a Honda Civic bearing registration AXX-569 ICT (Islamabad). Initial questioning raised doubts, prompting the vehicle to be moved to Daraban Police Station for a thorough inspection. Under the supervision of SDPO Circle Daraban, Inamullah Khan, police conducted a detailed search and recovered…

By Tanveer Ahmed GILGIT: The Second FCNA Inter-District Gilgit-Baltistan Football Tournament 2026 concluded at Lalak Jan Stadium on Wednesday, with Team NLI defeating Team Ghizer 1–0 in a tightly contested final to lift the championship trophy. Organized with the support of the Pakistan Army, the tournament is among the region’s largest sporting events, designed to promote football, encourage youth participation, and strengthen inter-district cohesion across Gilgit-Baltistan. Seventeen teams representing various districts competed, showcasing disciplined play and competitive spirit. Large crowds attended the matches, filling the stadium and creating an energetic atmosphere with sustained applause and chants. The final match was…

By Tanveer Ahmed GILGIT: The Spring Tree Plantation Campaign 2026 was formally inaugurated in Gilgit-Baltistan, with Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (R) Yar Muhammad planting the first deodar sapling at the Forest Complex Jutial. Caretaker provincial ministers, secretaries, senior officials of the Forest and Wildlife Department, and other government representatives also participated in the event. Launched under the Forest and Wildlife Department as part of the Green Pakistan Program, the campaign aims to make Gilgit-Baltistan greener, mitigate climate change, and reduce natural hazards such as floods, riverbank erosion, and landslides. The initiative has set a target of planting 3.5 million forest…

By Tanveer Ahmed GILGIT-BALTISTAN: In a first for the region, the Gilgit-Baltistan government launched an accreditation card system for journalists on Tuesday, aiming to strengthen professional recognition and support media welfare initiatives. The cards were formally issued at a ceremony at the Central Press Club in Gilgit, organized by the regional Information Department. Caretaker Information Minister Ghulam Abbas said the interim government was aware of the challenges faced by journalists and was taking steps to address long-standing demands, including financial support and grants. He noted that discussions on these issues had already been held with the Chief Minister and expressed…

By Tanveer Ahmed GILGIT: Kashmir Solidarity Day was observed throughout Gilgit-Baltistan with great reverence, enthusiasm, and a renewed commitment to support the Kashmiri people in their struggle for self-determination. Citizens, government officials, elected representatives, and members of civil society took part in rallies and commemorative events across all districts of the Gilgit, Diamer, and Baltistan divisions. In Gilgit city, the central rally began at Government Boys High School No. 1 and concluded at Ittehad Chowk, drawing participation from provincial ministers, senior officials, and citizens. Participants carried banners and placards expressing solidarity with Kashmiris and condemning Indian atrocities. Addressing the gathering,…

By Tanveer Ahmed GILGIT-BALTISTAN: The Gilgit-Baltistan Rural Support Program (GBRSP) and UNDP Pakistan have signed a $3.98 million agreement under the ECARE initiative to strengthen climate adaptation in the region, including early warning systems for floods, glacial lake outburst floods, and landslides. The MoU was signed at the UNDP Country Office in Islamabad by GBRSP General Manager Ashfaq Ahmed and UNDP Pakistan Resident Representative Dr. Samuel Rizk, in the presence of Additional Chief Secretary Gilgit-Baltistan Captain (R) Mushtaq Ahmed, Deputy Chief of Planning and Development Ali Jabbar, and other officials. The project is expected to directly benefit 3,000 people and…

By Tanveer Ahmed GILGIT: The Economic Transformation Initiative (ETI), supported by international funding, is set to bring a major agricultural revolution to Gilgit-Baltistan through targeted interventions including barren land reclamation, improved market access, farmer training, soil testing, and school-level agricultural awareness programs, Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (R) Yaar Muhammad Nasir said. Addressing participants after an ETI briefing, the Chief Minister highlighted that while arable land in the region is limited, converting barren land into cultivable areas could usher in a new era of agricultural development. He detailed a Rs 27 billion barren land reclamation project, a landmark initiative implemented jointly…

By Tanveer Ahmed GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection Agency (GBEPA), in collaboration with Italian non-profit EvK2CNR, has officially handed over a state-of-the-art network of Automated Weather Stations (AWS) across Gilgit-Baltistan, strengthening climate monitoring in the region. The initiative was implemented under the Glaciers and Students project. EvK2CNR, with decades of expertise in high-altitude research across the Himalayas and Karakoram, including the renowned Pyramid Observatory, contributed to the installation and rigorous field validation of the stations. These AWS units provide real-time, systematic data on temperature, precipitation, wind, humidity, and solar radiation, offering critical insights into one of the world’s most climate-sensitive…