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BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
Attabad Lake: The stunning legacy of a natural disaster
When a massive landslide dammed the Hunza River, it destroyed villages – and created one of the most breathtaking lakes in Pakistan. When Lauren Winslow-Llewellyn saw a photo of Attabad Lake in Pakistan's Hunza Valley pop up on her social media feed, she immediately went into planning mode. "[It] was taken from up high, not from a drone but a hiking trail... someone was precariously sitting on the edge of a cliff above vibrant blue water," she said. Based in south-east England, Winslow-Llewellyn and partner Craig Hubbard, known online as the Non Stop Travelling couple, work seasonal hospitality jobs between their trips to save up for their next adventure. After studying foreign travel advisory sites, mapping safe paths and scouring Google Earth, all that was left was to reach Hunza's capital, Karimabad, as their base camp and hitch a ride to the trailhead. Perched atop an open truck piled high with rugs and appliances, the couple and a local family barrelled through tunnels, wind whipping their faces and laughter spilling into the air – until, suddenly, Attabad Lake burst into view, majestically blue and breathtaking, ringed by arid peaks jutting straight out of glacial water. "It's probably my favourite memory of our time in Pakistan," said Winslow-Llewellyn. "It felt like we were on a crazy rollercoaster ride." Pakistan was their 88th country, but even for seasoned travellers, the drama of the Gilgit-Baltistan region stood out. "We've become a little spoilt to say the least," Winslow-Llewellyn smiled. But, "the views in Gilgit-Baltistan were dramatic, even before the hikes began". A landscape shaped by extremes "The Karakoram ranges are [one of] the highest, steepest mountains on Earth – greater even than the Himalaya," said Professor Mike Searle, Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Oxford. From riverbed to mountaintop, Hunza Valley doesn't rise; it lunges from 1,850m to 7,788m. The 6km vertical gain is a stretch of earth and stone so steep it turns roads into legends. Chief among them is the Karakoram Highway, the highest paved road on Earth, often called the world's eighth wonder. But such epic terrain comes with danger stitched into every slope. Along the Karakoram Highway, hand-built barricades and hours-long delays due to landslides are routine. Winslow-Llewellyn recalls a harrowing encounter with a fresh mudslide – a crushed car hundreds of metres below and locals casually making their way across shifting ground. "It was eye-opening… to see how fragile life is and how vulnerable people are in this setting," she says. Amid this restless landscape, Attabad Lake is a striking case of beauty born from disaster, and a vivid reminder of nature's force and fallout. The lake that wasn't supposed to exist On 4 January 2010, a massive landslide dammed the Hunza River for five months. By late January, water levels were rising by 1.1m per day, according to Nasa data. Users on Earth and Space Science blogs spoke about the cataclysmic event with a kind of reverent thrill – how a formation that usually takes geologic ages was unfolding within a single human lifespan, shaped by rupture and growing in real time. By June, the newly formed lake stretched 21km long and more than 100m deep, swallowing Shishkat village and partially flooding the town of Gulmit. Twenty people died, 6,000 were displaced and a 25km stretch of the Karakoram Highway was destroyed, along with six bridges. In 2012, blasting lowered the lake's level by 10m, and a $275m (£202m) project rerouted the highway, adding five tunnels to restore the road to Xinjiang, China, and making the region more accessible. Today, Attabad Lake has become "a must-visit destination", known for its piercing, cobalt-blue waters and stark mountain backdrop, says Misa Talpur, one of Pakistan's pioneering solo female travellers. But the past still lingers below the surface, with remnants of submerged orchards and rooftops frozen in time. A new lifeline for locals Despite its tragic origins, the lake has become a rare source of economic opportunity. "Attabad Lake is fully served by local Shisket families directly impacted by the landslide," said Talpur, who is now a licensed tour manager. Dozens of food kiosks, handicraft shops and boating facility providers have sprung up around the lake, bringing income to the affected families, while larger hotels lease land from local families, generating further revenue. More like this:• Pakistan's lost city of 40,000 people• Chap shuro: Pakistan's iconic 'healthy pizza'• The road that's the 'Eighth World Wonder' Sania Malik, a training officer at AKAH (Aga Khan Agency for Habitat) notes there is a robust system of female entrepreneurs selling handicrafts and food items, and the community is rebuilding stronger than ever. In the village of Shisket, which has a population of just 3,000, Malik recently trained 75 locals in emergency response. "We predominantly try to empower women to become first responders," she said, "They're the ones managing on a homestead level." Talpur leads at least five to six tours to Attabad Lake in peak tourist season from June to September, and says that local tourists love to boat, jetski and zipline over the lake. They can also walk along the lakeside promenade and enjoy local cuisine at the lake-edge tea stalls. However, she recommends hiking up to Baskochi Meadows for the best vantage point. "It gives you an incredible bird's eye view," Talpur says – especially at sunset for breathtaking photography opportunities as the mountains shimmer golden. The lake also hosts frequent bonfire nights and musical events in the summer. Many travellers also visit the legendary Hussaini Suspension Bridge and the cathedral-esque, often-photographed craggy spires of the Passu Cones – both just around a 30-minute drive from the lake. The lake's central location also means travellers can explore the Hopper Glacier, roughly a two-and-a-half-hour drive away. With its black ice and surrounding peaks, it is another dramatic example of the shapeshifting landscape of Gilgit-Baltistan. Alternatively, many plan day trips to the ancient Altit and Baltit Forts – more than 900- and 700-year-old vestiges of ancient royal architecture – to get a glimpse of the region's royal past. An uncertain future Yet there's no guarantee this popular travel destination will last. "Everything depends on how well-cemented the landslide debris [is]," said Searle. A sudden breach – triggered by something like a major earthquake – could drain the entire lake and "cause disastrous flood damage all the way down to Gilgit and beyond", he adds. Studies of silt deposits indicate that the lake is shrinking over time. Ephemeral as it may be, Attabad Lake leaves a lasting impression. In the meadows above the lake, Winslow-Llewellyn and Hubbard met a family and asked to purchase fresh apricots, and were, of course, invited in. Over tea and bread, a young nephew revealed two of his siblings died in the landslide. "The kindness and smiles were contagious," Winslow-Llewellyn said, "Somehow it feels more real when you meet people directly affected by the disaster." And it's those people, not just the landscapes, that stay with you. "Pakistan didn't just wow us with its huge snow-capped mountains and jaw dropping lakes," she said, "the people [were] the most genuinely friendly and hospitable people we've ever come across." For a lake that was never meant to exist, now, it's difficult to imagine a trip to Hunza, Pakistan, without it. To Talpur, Attabad Lake is testament that tragedy can be beautiful. "We often think a tragedy is the end," she says, "But when something is broken and rebuilt, it's much stronger." -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Arab News
22-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Cherry festival in northern Pakistan draws crowds amid growing exports to China
SKARDU, Gilgit-Baltistan: As Pakistan begins to export cherries to neighboring China, a colorful one-day festival in Skardu this week drew hundreds of visitors, highlighting the potential of agri-tourism and cherry farming in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region, officials and growers said. Home to the Khunjerab Pass — the highest paved international border crossing in the world — GB is often described as Pakistan's gateway to China. The region's cold climate is ideal for growing high-quality fruits such as cherries, apricots and apples. 'This is the 5th National Cherry Festival, and we are organizing Agri-Mela as part of the festival,' Zakir Hussain, deputy director at the GB agriculture department, told Arab News on Friday. 'The aim of this festival is to introduce cherry as a cash crop.' He said the event, organized in collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan, aimed to raise awareness about harvesting, marketing and the economic importance of cherries. According to the GB agriculture department, the region produces 8,000 to 9,000 tons of cherries annually, with dried cherry marketing now also underway. 'Almost 3,000 tons of cherries had been exported to China in 2024,' Hussain said, adding that GB was the leading cherry-producing region in Pakistan. Local farmers say the festival boosts their income and visibility. 'We have been growing cherries for the last 12 to 13 years and we have 200 to 300 cherry trees in our orchard,' said Skinder Ali, a 40-year-old farmer. 'Whenever the festival is held in Gilgit-Baltistan, we participate. And due to this event, we get access to the market at the national level.' The festival also attracted tourists from other parts of the country. 'We especially came to Skardu to see the cherries, and we are from Islamabad,' Zohra Begum, a 52-year-old visitor, said. 'We have been visiting [the stalls] for the last hour... The taste of cherries is very good ... So far we have purchased 10 kilograms. Let's see how much we purchase later.' 'I am a traveler and biker from Lahore,' said Mohsin Abbas, another tourist. 'We were in Shigar last night when we came to know about the festival. So we came here... We have tasted the cherries and they are very delicious.' Ghulamullah Saqib, an agriculture expert and trainer, said the region's climate is well suited for cherries, which require 800 to 1,000 chilling hours to bear fruit. 'There are 14 varieties of cherry that are found in Gilgit-Baltistan,' he added.
Arab News
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Pakistan's Shandur Polo Festival kicks off at world's highest ground, draws global tourists
PESHAWAR: Pakistan's annual Shandur Polo Festival began Friday at an altitude of 12,000 feet in the country's mountainous north, with officials calling it a celebration of culture, sportsmanship and peace that draws tourists from around the world. Held each year at the Shandur Pass in Upper Chitral, the three-day festival features traditional freestyle polo matches between teams from Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan, alongside folk music, camping, paragliding and cultural exhibitions. The event is considered a major tourist attraction and is played on what is often described as the highest polo ground in the world. 'Shandur Polo is one of our most important cultural sports, played at 12,000 feet,' said Syed Fakhar Jahan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, at the opening ceremony, according to an official statement. 'Spectators and tourists from around the world come to witness this unique event,' he added. 'We welcome them all.' The festival sees teams from Gilgit and Chitral compete in fast-paced, no-holds-barred matches played without umpires, a throwback to the region's centuries-old polo traditions. Officials say the event aims to foster unity and harmony between the two regions, which share historical ties and a friendly sporting rivalry. 'Such activities send a message of peace to the world,' the provincial minister said. 'Pakistanis are a people who cherish their cultural heritage, and this festival reflects that spirit.'
Arab News
19-06-2025
- Arab News
Locals in Pakistan's Hunza Valley call for action against hotels ‘polluting' Attabad Lake
KHAPLU, Gilgit-Baltistan: Local social activists in Pakistan's northern Hunza Valley are demanding strict action against hotels operating around Attabad Lake for failing to meet environmental standards, after a video by a foreign vlogger alleging untreated sewage discharge into the lake went viral on social media this week. Attabad Lake was formed in 2010 when a massive landslide blocked the Hunza River, killing 20 people and submerging villages and a stretch of the strategic Karakoram Highway that links Pakistan to China. Over the years, the lake has become a major tourist attraction, driving a boom in hotel construction along its banks. Following the viral video by travel vlogger George Buckley, officials from the Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection Agency (GBEPA) and local administration inspected the hotel's premises and sewage facilities on Tuesday. 'We have fined Rs 1.5 million ($5,300) on [Luxus Hunza Attabad Lake Resort] hotel after the inspection,' Khadim Hussain, a director at the EPA, confirmed to Arab News. 'A portion of the resort has been sealed for the period of three months. And if they don't develop a waste treatment plan within the stipulated period of time, the [whole] facility will be sealed and imposed more fines.' He added: 'The action against the hotels that are not complying [with] environmental standards continues in the region before the video of a foreign vlogger.' Residents say pollution caused by unchecked hotel expansion is now threatening Attabad Lake's clear blue water, which draws thousands of tourists every year. 'Solid waste is becoming a big issue in the surrounding areas of Attabad Lake and especially on river banks due to the construction of hotels,' Shahid Hussain, a local social activist and politician, told Arab News by phone. 'When the level of the water [in the lake] increases during summer, the level of sewage waste in soakage pits also rises and merges into the lake. This is deteriorating the natural beauty of Attabad Lake.' He stressed: 'The environmental protection authority has fined one hotel. And this is not a permanent solution. The administration and EPA should give a proper mechanism to protect nature and clean water.' Another activist, Zahoor Ilahi, echoed the call for tougher enforcement. 'Initially, when locals started to build miniature resorts and hotels, the municipal and district administration teased the locals in the name of NOC [No Objection Certificate],' he said. 'Later big investors came to the region and built big hotels, and there is no treatment plant for sewage waste. If the [Luxus] hotel has no treatment plan, then the whole resort should be sealed instead of imposing a fine on them.' Ilahi warned that untreated wastewater could also threaten local drinking water projects: 'A project is underway to supply drinking water from Attabad Lake for central Hunza under a federal PSDP project. So, the protection of clean water is very much needed. If the government fails to protect the clean water, it will multiply the miseries of locals.' In a Facebook post, the Luxus Resort rejected the allegations. 'Attabad Lake formed in 2010. Before Luxus Hunza opened its doors to tourists in 2019, no one had experienced this majestic lake up close. This lake has been home for us for the last six years. It is the reason and purpose of our existence. To dump sewage water into the lake would be like desecrating our own house. We have never nor will we ever dump a single liter of waste water into Attabad Lake,' the hotel management said. It added that the cloudy appearance of the lake near the hotel was due to natural sediment from mountain streams mixing with the clear lake water, not sewage discharge. Arab News attempted to contact a representative of Luxus Hotel Hunza for further comment but did not receive a response by the time of filing this report.
Malay Mail
15-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Songs of sawdust and strength among Hunza women in Pakistan's Karakoram Mountains
KARIMABAD, June 16 — In a sawdust-filled workshop nestled in the Karakoram Mountains, a team of women carpenters chisel away at cabinets — and forge an unlikely career for themselves in Pakistan. Women make up just a fraction of Pakistan's formal workforce. But in a collection of villages sprinkled along the old Silk Road between China and Afghanistan, a group of women-led businesses is defying expectations. 'We have 22 employees and have trained around 100 women,' said Bibi Amina, who launched her carpentry workshop in 2008 at the age of 30. Hunza Valley's population of around 50,000, spread across mountains abounding with apricot, cherry, walnut and mulberry orchards, follow the Ismaili branch of Shiite Islam. Ismailis are led by the Aga Khan, a hereditary position held by a family with Pakistani roots now living in Europe. A team of women carpenters works at a carpentry workshop in Karimabad, in the Hunza district of Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region May 20, 2025. — AFP pic The family opened a girls' school in Hunza in 1946, kickstarting an educational investment that pushed the valley's literacy rate to 97 per cent for both men and women. That rate far outstrips the country average of around 68 per cent for men and 52.8 per cent for women. As a result, attitudes have shifted, and women like Amina are taking expanded roles. 'People thought women were there to wash dishes and do laundry,' Amina said of the generation before her. Trained by the Aga Khan Foundation to help renovate the ancient Altit Fort, Amina later used her skills to start her own business. Her carpenters are currently at work on a commission from a luxury hotel. Bibi Amina, a businesswoman, speaks during an interview with AFP at her carpentry workshop in Karimabad, in the Hunza district of Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region May 20, 2025. — AFP pic Pioneers Only 23 per cent of the women in Pakistan were officially part of the labour force as of 2024, according to data from the World Bank. In rural areas, women rarely take on formal employment but often toil in the fields to support the family's farming income. In a Gallup poll published last year, a third of women respondents said their father or husband forbade them from taking a job, while 43.5 per cent said they had given up work to devote themselves to domestic tasks. Cafe owner Lal Shehzadi spearheaded women's restaurant entrepreneurship in Hunza. She opened her cafe at the top of a winding high street to supplement her husband's small army pension. A woman shopkeeper selling traditional handmade items works at her shop in Karimabad, in the Hunza district of Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region May 20, 2025. — AFP pic Sixteen years later, her simple set-up overlooking the valley has become a popular night-time tourist attraction. She serves visitors traditional cuisine, including yak meat, apricot oil and rich mountain cheese. 'At the start, I used to work alone,' she said. 'Now, 11 people work here and most of them are women. And my children are also working here.' Following in Shehzadi's footsteps, Safina quit her job to start her own restaurant around a decade ago. 'No one wanted to help me,' she said. Eventually, she convinced family members to sell two cows and a few goats for the money she needed to launch her business. Now, she earns the equivalent of around US$170 (RM720) a month, more than 15 times her previous income. In a sawdust-filled workshop nestled in the Karakoram Mountains, a team of women carpenters chisel away at cabinets — and forge an unlikely career for themselves in Pakistan. — AFP pic Farming to football The socio-economic progress of women in Hunza compared to other rural areas of Pakistan has been driven by three factors, according to Sultan Madan, the head of the Karakoram Area Development Organisation and a local historian. 'The main reason is the very high literacy rate,' he told AFP, largely crediting the Aga Khan Foundation for funding training programmes for women. 'Secondly, agriculture was the backbone of the economy in the region, but in Hunza the landholding was meagre and that was why women had to work in other sectors.' Women's increased economic participation has spilled into other areas of life, like sports fields. 'Every village in the valley has a women's soccer team: Gojal, Gulmit, Passu, Khyber, Shimsal,' said Nadia Shams, 17. On a synthetic pitch, she trains with her teammates in jogging pants or shorts, forbidden elsewhere by Pakistan's dress code. Fahima Qayyum, a football player, practises at a ground in Gilgit, in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan May 22, 2025. — AFP pic Here, one name is on everyone's lips: Malika-e-Noor, the former vice-captain of the national team who scored the winning penalty against the Maldives in the 2010 South Asian Women's Football Championship. Fahima Qayyum was six years old when she witnessed the killer kick. Today, after several international matches, she is recruiting the next generation. 'As a girl, I stress to others the importance of playing, as sport is very good for health,' she told AFP. 'If they play well, they can also get scholarships.' — AFP
