“Three snow leopards snapped in a single capture in Khunjerab National Park”

GILGIT: Snow leopards are cryptic in nature and tend to reside in one of the harshest and inaccessible milieus of our planet that encountering with snow leopard in the wild is like a dream. This elusive nature of snow leopardled one of the eminent wildlife biologists of the world to attribute this as “ Imperilled Phantom”.

A total of 643 images including a group of 3 snow leopards (probably 2 sub adults with a mother) were photographed during an intensive camera trapping session of 560 nights in Khunjerab National Park (KNP) during Nov-Dec. 2010,conducted by the Snow Leopard Foundation, Pakistan in collaboration with the Directorate of KNP andGilgit-Baltistan Forest and Wildlife Department. The cameras captured many other wild species as well.

The Snow Leopard Foundation (SLF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to conserve viable populationsof snow leopards and other wild carnivores as an integral part of landscapes across Pakistan, whileimproving the socio-economic condition of the people who share the fragile mountain ecosystem with thewildlife.

The SLF works in partnership with the Snow Leopard Trust and Panthera, the two leadinginternational wild cat conservation organizations, and operates in three core sectors: research andmonitoring, community based conservation programs, and conservation education and awareness.

Its haspioneered state-of-the-art research tools in Pakistan and operating in Gilgit-Baltistan, Khybger-Pakhtunkhaw, and Azad Jamu and Kashmir. The current study was undertaken in KNP from November, 23 to December 31, 2010 and was aimed atassessing the status of snow leopard as well as other carnivores, their key prey species, and human-carnivore conflict.

The study also tested affect of different kinds of baits on camera trapping success.In addition to camera trapping, more than 1400 km² area was scanned during occupancy surveys and 150fecal samples were collected for genetic analysis.

The study provided a rare learning opportunity to the staffof the Wildlife Department, and students from national and international universities, who were engaged.Once data analysis is completed, the study will provide more reliable estimates of snow leopard in the parkbesides highlighting existing management/monitoring limitations and ultimately help better manage the park resources in the longer run.Panthera provided financial support for this study.

Compensation for the affectees of KKH expansion project

Expansion project of the Karakoram Highway has affected thousands of families in different parts of Gilgit – Baltistan. The project is being implemented jointly by the government of Pakistan and China through the Chinese Roads and Bridges Corporation (CRBC). This project, on completion, is expected to facilitate the two nuclear power neighbour countries expand the volume of trade and create new jobs.

Notwithstanding the expectations and end results of the project, one can certainly see that the process of expanding the KKH has become a pain in the neck for people of the region, for several reasons.

First, the expansion process has left the entire KKH between Khunzhrav and Chilas in a dilapidated condition, increasing the number of hours spent on road.

Second, the project is likely to be delayed further, due to the destructions induced by damming of the Hunza River.
Third, and the most important, because the government has failed to compensate those who lost means of livelihood due to the expansion project.

Every now and then protesters stage demonstrations against the government for failing to pay compensation to the people whose cropped fields, trees and orchards have been destroyed to expand the road.

An action committee of the affected people had recently organized a protest demonstration in Hunza – Nagar to demand solution for the compensation issue. One of the leaders of the committee was hurt in a scuffle that erupted between the protesters and the police after the later tried to stop the protesters who had blocked the main Karakoram Highway.

A dialogue was later held between the committee and government officials without any results. The committee has, now, announced to hold a series of protests to pressurize the government into action. They have also threatened to disrupt the expansion work throughout the Hunza Valley from January 10, if their demands are not met.

We think that anxiety of the protesters is justified because the bureaucracy and political leaders, both, have failed to protect rights of the affected people. We, however, urge peaceful protests for making the government realize that the delay is causing threats for a strategic project of international stature.

The local people’s demands should be met at all costs and they should be compensated according to international standards because the KKH is an international route between two countries, being constructed through the land of Gilgit – Baltistan.

Leaders of the action committee should urge their supporters to not take law into their hands because it would harm the noble cause.

Mountain Development Network launched

Gilgit, Nov 25: Minister for Law and Planning, Wazir Shakeel Ahmed, has stressed the need to develop capacities of the legislators and executives for effective implementation of the new reform processes in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). He was addressing the launching ceremony of Mountain Development Network (MDN), at a local hotel in Gilgit.

He said GB is presently passing through a transitional period to get more autonomy within the federation. The destination of the region depends on our capacities to introduce good governance, he added. He thanked the Government of Germany and InWent-Capacity Building International for developing the capacities of the professionals of GB through its mountain programme.

GB Secretary Finance , Gul Baig, also highlighted the need to improve the level of social capital in order to tap the new opportunities in the region. He appreciated the formation of the network of professionals for a greater cause of mountain development.

It is pertinent to mention here that MDN has been formed as part of the mountain programme of InWent-Capacity Building International, Germany. Initially, all 108 members of the network are from Government, private, civil society and academics who have attended any of the capacity building programme of InWent. The purpose of the network is to serve as think tank for sustainable mountain development in GB through horizontal learning and systematic exchange of experiences. The network will organize a number of trainings, conferences and exposure visits for the members and professionals in GB during coming year.

Iqbal Day

The 133rd birth anniversary of the Poet of the East Dr Allama Mohammad Iqbal is being observed today (Tuesday) across the country with traditional zeal and fervour. Public holiday has been announced throughout the country to mark the day. The speakers paid glowing tributes to Iqbal while TV channels telecast special programmes on his life and works. National flags are hoisted on all principal government buildings. Exhibitions of books and relics have been held at Iqbal Museum Lahore, National Museum Karachi and Iqbal Manzil Sialkot. Meanwhile, change of guards ceremony was held today here at the Mausoleum of Allama Iqbal. At the Mazar of the poet laureate, guards of Pakistan Rangers assumed the duty. The Chief Guest laid the wreath of flowers on the Mazar and offered ‘Fateha’. He also noted his expressions in the book on this occasion.

Independence Day Of Gilgit-Baltistan Mubarak to all People of Gilgit-Baltistan

Plain of Deosai National Park

Is located in Astore valley and partly in Skarduof Gilgit-Baltistan region. The park is located on the Deosai Plains of the Karakoram-West Tibetan Plateau alpine steppe, among the highest plateaus in the world with an average height of 4,114 metres (13,497 ft) above the sea level, covering an area of about 3,000 square kilometres (1,200 sq mi). For just over half the year - between November and May - Deosai is snow-bound. In the summer months when the snow clears up, Deosai is accessible from the Astore Valley in the west and Skardu in the north . Deosai is well known for its rich flora and fauna in the spring season when it is covered by a variety of millions of flowers and a wide variety of butterflies.

2400 vacant posts to be filled in GB

The government of Gilgit – Baltistasn has decided to fill 2400 vacant posts in the region. The decision was taken at a meeting attended by cabinet members and secretaries of different departments of Gilgit – Baltistan bureaucracy.

The meeting was told that 600 posts are vacant in the education department, 300 in health department, 360 PWD, 250 in agriculture 20 in livestock, 250 in police, 52 in fisheries and 110 at the secretariats of governor, CM and the GBLA speakers. 333 people will be hired for different departments of Hunza – Nagar district while 90 will be hired for Rondu sub-division.

The cabinet has decided to quickly process the hirings on these vacant posts to increase efficiency of the government departments.