After heavy rain and snow, the roads to Chilas and Gilgit via Babusar Top-Naran Highway have been suspended, ARY News has reported.
Different areas in Gilgit Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa received heavy rain and snow for the two days resulting in a drop in the temperature of the region.
Areas of Batogah Top, Fairy Meadows, Nanga Parbat have also been receiving snowfall.
The entryways into Gilgit-Baltistan have been suspended while tourists have been told to avoid traveling here. The district authorities have stopped cars from entering the region.
The rains have lashed out on the entire region, the district authorities said, as they stopped cars approaching the area.
Samar Khan has clarified her stance after a handful of people tried to dismiss her achievement.
The Current reached out to Samar after her audio clip was leaked on social media by a journalist Jamil Nagri in which she was allegedly being angry at the journalist and locals of Gilgit-Baltistan for dismissing her feat.
Please listen to Samar Khan abusing GB and its people when asked for proof of her expedition pic.twitter.com/U2vuabscOD
When we asked her about the area she covered on her bicycle and on foot, she said: “Around 15-20 per cent of the trek is paddled by me, in remaining parts I mostly dragged and lifted my bike, as there was hardly a trek for proper walk.”
When we questioned her about the leaked audio, she clarified: “It’s a leaked WhatsApp audio, where my response has been uploaded on Twitter by a local Balti Journalist Jamil Nagri, whose abuse on social media I was answering at that time. He, with his few friends, started mocking and abusing me on different platforms and the audio is more than this, but a specific chunk has been leaked to use it against me and to get sympathies by using GB (Gilgit-Baltistan) card and arousing emotions of the locals.”
“Being an athlete, I just rode my bicycle, which made these weak men insecure enough to play these games against me,” she added.
“I already released my statement on Twitter with an apology but still receiving life threats and abuse.”
Taking to Twitter, she wrote: “I take complete responsibility of my words but keep in mind it was a personal voice note intended for a single individual, so all of my F’s goes to him only, because nobody can bring here a single public post of mine which spreads hate between #GB.”
“I offer my apologies to Balti friends whose sentiments got hurt by my words. I am grateful for all the love I always received from GB. I wish the complete abuse would have been shared here instead of uploading a chunk from my response to manipulate people for personal sympathies,” she said in another tweet.
Khan has become the only female cyclist to reach the base camp of the world’s second tallest peak K2. She holds the title of the first Pakistani to summit Mount Kilimanjaro and the Biafo Glaciers in the Karakoram Range on a bike, has set a unique record by reaching the base camp of the savage mountain via cycle.
Earlier, Samar gave it back with the same dismissiveness.
in a system when only during Olympics athletes R discussed & remembered; have some respect for those who still bring good name for the country & push their limits. The response would have been different only if a 'Gora' did it, no? 2/3 pic.twitter.com/CGgk9sYK9T
Gilgit Baltistan Education Minister Raja Azam Khan has announced that the provincial government is planning to develop the education sector in the area. He said that home schools have been set up in Diamer.
As per reports, the minister announced that Government High School for Girls Nagar will be made a higher secondary school and a notification will be issued soon to begin secondary school classes in Girls High School.
He said that efforts are being done to promote higher education in the areas where there is educational backwardness. He said that a home schools project has been initiated in Diameer district so that girls can get education in home schools.
Incharge of the foundation, OneTen Foundation, which organized an event of uniform distribution to female students told that the foundation gives five per cent of its profits for social services in the early phase of Gilgit-Baltistan.
The minister and the other speakers highlighted the importance of education in the area.
The World Wildlife Fund-Pakistan (WWF-P) released rare footage of a snow leopard hunting a Himalayan ibex in Khunjerab National Park, located at a distance of approximately 15 kilometres from the Pakistan-China border.
The footage was released on March 3 to mark the annual World Wildlife Day. According to details, the video is aimed to raise awareness about wildlife protection and threats to their survival.
The gripping video shows a snow leopard silently chasing a herd of Himalayan ibex on steep cliffs. After successfully hunting an ibex, the snow leopard can be seen feasting on it. Two other cats joined the leopard later.
The video was recorded by wildlife photographer Muhammad Osama.
According to Osama, he followed the herd of the ibex in severe cold, with the temperature as low as – 18 degrees Celsius, looking for fresh snow leopard pugmarks.
“Capturing this hunt was once in a lifetime experience as it involved hours of tireless tracking, climbing mountains and withstanding freezing cold temperatures,” he said.
WWF-P director general Hammad Naqi Khan also expressed hope that the video would help in raising awareness about wildlife in Pakistan and the need to guard it.
He said wildlife in Pakistan and in the rest of the world faced increasing threats due to deforestation and human encroachment, which led to habitat degradation, while new threats such as unsustainable infrastructure and climate change were also emerging.
As a result, the survival of wildlife, such as snow leopards, Indus River dolphins, common leopards, pangolins, brown bear and white-backed vultures, hangs in the balance, he added.
Khan requested the government to ensure that existing protected areas in the country were restored so that wildlife could flourish in healthy landscapes.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday posted some beautiful pictures of Skardu, Gilgit Baltistan on his Twitter account but this time the photographer has been credited for his work.
“I have been sent more pictures,” he wrote on Twitter. “This time from around Skardu after my last tweet with pictures from GB.”
I have been sent more pictures, this time from around Skardu, after my last tweet with pics from GB. pic.twitter.com/3coB1X6Ruv
The photographer Abrar Khawja also took to social media to express his joy over his work being shown to the world.
“My passion for photography has delivered results today,” wrote Abrar, sharing the premier’s tweet. “My beautiful Pakistan, captured through my lens, is being shown to the whole world by my own prime minister.”
My passion for photography has delivered results today as it's being an honor that my beautiful Pakistan captured thru my lens is being shown to the whole world by my own Prime Minister @arslankhalid_m@PakPMOhttps://t.co/8tTZDA0fJ9
Prime Minister Imran Khan recently took to Twitter to reveal “one of my favorite places on earth”.
The prime minister shared some very beautiful pictures of Gilgit-Baltistan with the caption: “The colours of Gilgit Baltistan just before the onset of winter. One of my favourite places on this earth.”
The colours of Gilgit Baltistan just before the onset of winter. One of my favourite places on this earth. pic.twitter.com/qdhGqkZ2Fx
Soon after the premier’s post, a Twitter user, Asmar’s Photography, requested the PM to give him credits for his photos.
The photographer tagged the PM and said: “Thank you, sir Imran Khan, for sharing my picture but it would have been great if my watermark haven’t being cropped & credits may have been given to me.”
Thank you sir @ImranKhanPTI for sharing my picture but it would have been great if my watermark haven’t being cropped & credits may have been given to me. https://t.co/HaeXsVQPbP
PM recently inaugurated Himalaya and Nanga Parbat National Parks during his visit to GB region.
Later, Asmar Hussain claimed that the PM Office had apologized for the error in not giving him credit for the pictures. “Would like to present this image to PM Imran Khan personally,” he added.
With Gilgit-Baltistan going to elections this Saturday (November 15), the region has emerged as a hotspot with politicians from the ruling party and opposition arriving in the area for the ongoing election campaign. Over a dozen political and religious parties, including the country’s three major parties — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), PML-N, and PPP — are contesting the polls.
Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) has a rich, beautiful, and unique cultural heritage manifested in local traditions, music, and dress. Use of caps and ceremonial headdresses is a part of their tradition. The most commonly used caps are ‘khoi’ (a tuft of feathers or a flower on it) and ‘Iraghi’ (cap with a jewel). Politicians visiting Gilgit for the election campaign made sure that they carry those traditional accessories.
There is no doubt that in recent times, our politicians have become more fashion savvy. With GB elections underway, we have compiled a list of politicians who impressed everyone with their fashion sense and style during the campaign.
Prime Minister Imran Khan
Starting with Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan. PM Khan, who was known to be a style icon during his cricketing time and is still one for many, during his visit elegantly carried a blue blazer with a white shalwar kameez.
Maryam Nawaz
Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif has been making waves with her outfits ever since she landed in G-B. She has been accesorizing her looks with Gilgit-Baltistani caps and shawls, adding a traditional touch to her outfits.
Maryam also wore a beautiful Iraghi cap with the traditional piece of the jewel called ‘silsila’.
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is not far behind when it comes to making cool fashion choices. The politician has been spotted wearing a number of cool sweaters and jackets along with the Baltistani cap.
Sherry Rehman
A diva in the truest sense, PPP Senator Sherry Rehman, also shared a selfie of herself wearing the khoi cap. She completed her look with a pair of reflectors and did not forget to wear her mask!
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Ali Amin Gandapur has claimed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz “owes her beauty to cosmetic surgeries performed at the expense of taxpayers”.
Speaking in a public gathering, the lawmaker went on a sexist tirade against the PML-N vice president. He said the PML-N leader became “beautiful” by spending tax money on her alleged plastic surgeries.
Addressing the people in the crowd, he said you people could also look like “Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt if you spend even a fraction of amount spent by Maryam on her facial surgeries”.
Previously, in a Twitter post, Gandapur had made sexist comments about PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Maryam Nawaz. In a post, he had said Bilawal is a man without any “masculine attributes” whereas Maryam was a woman who didn’t have “feminine qualities”.
In past, the PTI ministers have targetted Maryam for being a woman, but this is the first time that someone has claimed that she underwent cosmetic surgery.
Last month, Information Minister Shibli Faraz in an unfounded criticism said that “shoes, dresses and makeup do not make one a leader”.
Maryam owed her career to dynastic politics and thought of herself as the late prime minister (PM) Benazir Bhutto, he had said.
“Benazir was a well-educated lady […] shoes, dresses and makeup do not make you a leader. To be one, you need to live like a common person,” he said in his tirade. Maryam has time and again been criticised for her luxurious lifestyle and rather expensive dresses, footwear as well as accessories.
#BeautifulPakistan has been trending on Twitter and some of the pictures shared by users are absolutely breath-taking. From beautiful meadows to scenic valleys, people on Twitter are sharing lovely pictures of the country. No wonder Pakistan was listed among Forbes’ ‘Best under-the-Radar’ tourist spots in 2020.
Ranikot Fort is a historical fort near Sann, Jamshoro District, Sindh, #Pakistan. Ranikot Fort is also known as The Great Wall of #Sindh with a circumference of approximately 32 kilometres.#APPNews
Pakistan has rejected the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ irresponsible and unwarranted statement regarding Gilgit-Baltistan.
A Foreign Ministry statement said India has no legal, moral or historical standing on the issue.
“For more than 73 years, India has been in illegal and forcible occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Regurgitation of false and fabricated claims by India can neither change the facts nor divert attention from India’s illegal actions and continuing humanitarian crisis resulting from the perpetration of the worst human rights violations in Indian illegally occupied valley,” the statement said.
Pakistan’s position on the Jammu & Kashmir dispute remains firmly anchored in the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions, it said, adding that the final resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute was only possible through the exercise of the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination by holding free and impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the UN.
“Administrative, political and economic reforms are a long-standing demand of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. The envisaged provisional reforms reflect the aspirations of the indigenous populace of Gilgit-Baltistan,” it said.
Pakistan called upon India to immediately end its illegal and forcible occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir and “comply with its international obligations by allowing the Kashmiris to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination through a free and impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations as enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”
India had earlier rejected what it called an attempt by Pakistan to bring material changes to a “disputed territory”, after Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan declared the provisional provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan.
