Gilgit: The government of Pakistan has imposed a five-year ban on the construction of new hotels near the northern region’s lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan, amid rising concerns over unchecked tourism-related development.
The move comes as authorities face growing alarm over the environmental toll of rapid and largely unregulated construction in the picturesque region, home to around 13,000 glaciers — the highest concentration outside the polar zones.
Over the past decade, Gilgit-Baltistan’s snow-clad peaks, turquoise lakes, and fruit-laden valleys have drawn tens of thousands of tourists annually. However, the surge in visitors has led to a construction boom, often spearheaded by outside investors, which residents say is pushing local infrastructure to its limits.
“If we let them keep building hotels at this rate, it will turn into a concrete jungle,” said Khadim Hussain, a senior official at the GB Environmental Protection Agency. “People don’t come here to see buildings. They come to experience untouched nature.”
The pressure on natural resources has become increasingly visible, with reports of water shortages, electricity overloads, and waste management failures becoming more frequent. The issue came to a head last month when a foreign tourist posted a viral video showing untreated wastewater being discharged directly into Lake Attabad — a popular destination and key water source in the Hunza region. Authorities fined the hotel over Rs1.4 million following the incident.
Environmental activists and local residents have welcomed the provincial government’s decision. “What we are witnessing is the gradual destruction of our lakes and rivers in the name of tourism,” said Asif Sakhi, a political activist from Hunza. “This ban is a much-needed pause to reflect and rethink our priorities.”
Shah Nawaz, who manages a family-run hotel near Lake Kachura, also backed the move. “We are here because of the beauty of these mountains and lakes,” he said. “Protecting them is not just the government’s job — it’s everyone’s responsibility.”
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