On the front lines of climate change is Gilgit-Baltistan. With more than 7,000 glaciers, the area ought to be a top concern for the entire world, but it is instead being disregarded both domestically and internationally. Already, landslides, glacial lake eruptions, and flash floods have destroyed communities, isolated regions, and taken lives. Families have lost entire livelihoods, bridges, and lush farmland, but their screams hardly ever make the news.
The government's inaction and delay, in addition to the devastation, are the most agonizing aspects. Gilgit-Baltistan only receives reactive aid, if any, following disasters rather than proactive policies. Long-term adaption plans are still lacking, emergency relief is delayed, and early warning systems are inadequate. As legislators sit in cozy offices far from the mountains, communities feel abandoned and forced to rebuild with their own hands.
The fact that many climate activists are not drawing attention to Gilgit-Baltistan's actual problems is another harsh reality. The activism has shifted from emphasizing the hardships of those on the verge of extinction to focusing more on conferences and hashtags than on true grassroots lobbying. The voices of marginalized communities are not heard on a national and worldwide scale due to a lack of robust, localized activism.
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The mainstream media in Pakistan has arguably betrayed the country the most. In Gilgit-Baltistan, floods have damaged houses, highways, and livelihoods, but news outlets are still occupied with celebrity rumors and political dramas. Almost no coverage makes it to national television, much less foreign media. Without publicity, there is no accountability, no foreign support, and no pressure on the administration. This silence is complicity in the suffering of a whole region, not merely neglect.
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