Gilgit-Baltistan | Pakistan

An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 jolted parts of Pakistan on Monday, including Gilgit-Baltistan, Peshawar and adjacent areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the Pakistan Meteorological Department said. According to PMD, the earthquake struck at 11:21am at a depth of 10 kilometres, with its epicentre in Northwestern Kashmir. According to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), which uses the Moment Magnitude scale, a 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck northwestern Kashmir at a depth of 31 km. It said that the quake was recorded 58 km north-west of Barishal in Pakistan. Earlier this month, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of the country. Tremors were felt in Islamabad and parts of KP. Pakistan falls on three major tectonic plates — the Arabian, Euro-Asian and Indian — which create five seismic zones under the country. The intersection of multiple fault lines means that tectonic movements remain a frequent occurrence in the region. In October 2025, a 3.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded in Karachi. A m...

GILGIT: Climate change impacts are becoming increasingly visible in Gilgit-Baltistan, where below-normal snowfall has left much of the region unusually dry this winter. Light snowfall was recorded in parts of Skardu, Kharmang, Shigar, Ghanche, Astore and Ghizer on Friday and Saturday. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast further rain and snowfall in several areas until Jan 23. Officials said Skardu received about two to three inches of snow on Saturday, while parts of Ghizer saw intermittent snowfall over the past two days. Light snow was also reported in Hunza, Nagar and other areas last week, but residents said most valleys remained dry, with mountains largely bare and rocky. Experts warn ‘snow drought’ could worsen flood risk downstream Muhammad Ali Alam, a resident of Skardu, said the region typically received heavy snowfall by mid-January. “The mountains should be snow-clad by now, but the first snow of the season in Skardu and adjoining areas only fell on Friday,” he told Dawn. He s...

Snowfall continued across parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan under the influence of a shallow westerly wave, resulting in extremely cold weather in the region, officials said on Friday.

Two Pakistan Army personnel and a civilian machine operator were martyred in an avalanche in Gilgit-Baltistan‘s (GB) Burzil Pass, the military’s media affairs wing said on Saturday. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that a snow-clearing operation, led by Captain Asmad Gulfam, took place on the night of December 2 (Friday) and continued into this morning, to facilitate troops moving in the area. “At around 2am on January 3, 2026, while [the] subject operation was ongoing, a snow slide triggered, resultantly Captain Asmad [28, a resident of Lahore], along with two soldiers and [a] civilian machine operator (PWD), got entrapped,” the ISPR said. The statement added that four individuals were rescued from the snow; however, the condition of Captain Asmad, Sepoy Rizwan (32, a resident of Attock) and machine operator Essa (a resident of Astore) deteriorated and the three embraced martyrdom. “These individuals rendered [the] ultimate sacrifice by leading a challenging operation, in extrem...

Elections in Gilgit-Baltistan will be held on January 24, 2026, after the Assembly completed its five-year tenure last month. The notification for the poll date was issued today by the GB Council. “The President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan has announced Saturday 24th January as the poll day for the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly in terms of article 48-A (1) of the Government of the Gilgit Baltistan Order 2018, read with Section 57 (1) of the Election Act 2017,” it said. Retired Judge Yar Muhammad was appointed chief minister of GB following the expiry of its elected government tenure. According to the notification, candidates can submit nomination papers from December 15 to 22, while the list of nominees will be issued on December 23. Returning Officers (ROs) will conduct scrutiny of the papers on December 30, and appeals against their decisions can be filed on January 3, 2026. The election tribunal will issue its verdict on the appeals on January 10. The commission will issue the final list of can...

PML-N President and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday asked his brother, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to give funds to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) in accordance with the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. Nawaz’s suggestion on including AJK and GB’s share in the NFC is significant, as smaller provinces have previously rejected this federal plea several times. The proposal was formally initiated when NFC talks started under then-prime minister Imran Khan, while current Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had also suggested the same in the past to reduce the financial burden on the Centre. “Funds should be given to Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan under the NFC award. I will speak to PM Shehbaz Sharif in this regard,“ the PML-N supremo said while talking to party leaders in Lahore. “A certain amount every year must be given to both provinces — Azad Kashmir and GB. This is very important,” he said, adding that these two provinces must have the capacity to spend this money. H...

President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday addressed the 78th Independence Day celebrations of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), lauding the region’s historic and ongoing contributions to Pakistan’s development.

The first spell of snowfall in the Gilgit-Baltistan region has brought a cold and frosty wave across the northern areas.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a rain alert for the federal capital, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Sindh, and Gilgit-Baltistan, cautioning about possible adverse weather conditions over the next 12 to 24 hours.

Traders in Gilgit-Baltistan ended their over two-month-long sit-in at the Sost Dry Port on Saturday, paving the way for the resumption of trade and tourism via the Pakistan-China border at the location. The protest was launched in July against the government’s taxation policies and suspension of customs clearance at the port. Trade leader Javed Hussain, who led the protest, told Dawn.com, that the announcement about traders ending the protest ending was made by the supreme council — a body that had represented the them in talks with the federal and GB government. Following the negotiations, Power Minister Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari had announced on Wednesday that the government had agreed to tax exemptions on imports coming through the Sost Dry Port — provided that the goods were for local consumption and meet strict eligibility conditions. The total annual value of tax exemptions was capped at Rs4 billion. However, expressing dissatisfaction over the negotiations’ results, GB traders had decided to cont...

A trophy hunting permit for Pakistan’s national animal, the Markhor, was auctioned for a record-breaking Rs100 million (approximately $370,000) in Gilgit-Baltistan under the region’s annual Trophy Hunting Program.

Two large lakes have emerged following glacial outbursts in Gilgit-Baltistan’s (GB) Ghizer district following flooding caused by heavy rain this month, regional officials said on Saturday. A glacial burst, or glacial lake outburst flood (glof), refers to an outburst of water from a glacial lake which could lead to severe flooding downstream. At least 200 people were rescued after a glacier burst in GB, blocking the Ghizer River a day prior. Due to yesterday’s glacial burst, water containing debris and heavy stones fell into the river and stopped it from flowing for eight to nine hours. “The water remained standing, causing river water to spread for seven kilometres and become an artificial lake,” provincial government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq told Dawn.com. Meanwhile, the GB Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA) said that the Ghizer River changed course in the district on August 4 and began flowing over the Gilgit-Chitral Road. “A lake measuring 2,000 feet long and more than 50 metres wide has emerged in ...

At least 200 people were rescued after a glacier burst in Gilgit-Baltistan blocked the Ghizer River, threatening the downstream areas, Rescue 1122 said on Friday. A glacial burst, or glacial lake outburst flood (Glof), refers to an outburst of water from a glacial lake which could lead to severe flooding downstream, effectively blocking or overwhelming rivers in its path. Pakistan is home to over 13,032 glaciers, the largest reservoir of glaciers outside of the polar regions. However, experts have warned that about 10,000 glaciers in Chitral and GB have been reported to be receding due to climate change–induced temperature rise. A statement from Rescue 1122 said, “200 people have been rescued from flood-affected areas and have been shifted to Ghizer’s Yangal and Samal areas.” “Several people have been traumatised after [their] houses were destroyed. Medical assistance is being provided to the affected people,” it added. In another statement issued earlier today, Rescue 1122 said, “A terrible incident of glaci...

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has launched a large-scale flood relief operation in Gilgit-Baltistan to assist families stranded in remote valleys following recent floods.

GILGIT: Flash floods continued to wreak havoc across Gilgit-Baltistan on Saturday, leaving one person dead, eight injured, and dozens displaced. Roads and bridges were swept away, thousands — including tourists — remained stranded at multiple locations, and electricity, mobile, and internet communication were disrupted in the region. Cloudburst-triggered flash floods hit multiple areas, adding to the misery of local communities. According to the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA), a nine-year-old boy, Zulqarnain Haider, tragically lost his life in a landslide while returning from the summer pasture to his village, Hanochal in Haramosh Valley of Gilgit, on Saturday. Addressing a press briefing, GB Home Minister Shams Lone said that the Baltistan Highway bridge had been swept away, cutting off four districts of Baltistan from Gilgit for a second consecutive day. Cloudburst-triggered floods leave 9-year-old boy dead in Haramosh Valley; portion of Naltar Highway and Baltistan Highway bridge sw...

GILGIT: At least ten people, including children, lost their lives due to flash floods in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) on Thursday, government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq confirmed. Eight people died in Ghizer district while two siblings lost their lives in Diamer, the spokesperson said. Four others, including children, sustained injuries in the two districts. The deceased include a […]

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a warning of accelerated snow and glacier melt in Gilgit-Baltistan as temperatures in the region remain 7-9 degree celsius above normal.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the completion of the 100-megawatt solar power project in Gilgit-Baltistan within a year, vowing to personally monitor its progress.

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved a 100-megawatt solar photovoltaic power project for multiple locations across Gilgit-Baltistan, fulfilling a commitment made by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif just two days earlier. According to the Prime Minister’s Office Media Wing, work on the Rs24.957 billion project will begin immediately and […]

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council approved a 100 megawatt solar photovoltaic power project for Gilgit-Baltistan, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday. It added that formal work on the project would now commence. The prime minister had announced during his recent visit to GB that Ecnec would soon approve the 100MW power plants. The report said that Central Development Working Party had already approved the project and it would benefit the districts of Astore, Darel, Tangir, Diamer, Ghanche, Ghizer, Gilgit, Hunza, Ishkoman, Nagar, Roundu, Skardu and Shigar. It added that Skardu district would be provided with 18.96MW of electricity in the first phase; the districts of Hunza, Gilgit and Diamer would be supplied with 6MW, 28MW and 13MW of electricity, respectively, in the second phase and the remaining districts would receive 16.1MW of electricity in the third phase. The project is set to be completed within three years at a total cost of Rs24,957 million. In June, protest demonstr...