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When I arrived in Hunza's Shimshal Valley, I was surprised and delighted to see happy locals dressed in colourful and modern winter attire. What was more amazing were the concrete reinforced houses and satellite dish antennas everywhere. It signalled a makeover that I found difficult to associate with this remote region of Pakistan.
But, what left me absolutely stunned was how the locals have completely adopted solar energy.
Let me rewind a little. It had always been my desire to travel to the picturesque Shimshal Valley because I had heard so many wonderful stories about its landscape and people. Last winter, I finally got the opportunity to.
Shimshal is nestled deep in Hunza Valley, sharing a border with China's Xinjiang region. Its biggest claim to fame is that it has produced some of Pakistan's best mountaineers — Samina Baig, Rajab Shah, Meherban Shah and Rehmatullah Baig.
Not an easy place to reach, the road to Shimshal passes through a narrow, winding gorge, which is surrounded by dangerous peaks. It is inhabited by animals including the Blue Sheep and Marcopolo.
Two decades ago, the people of Shimshal had no option but to walk for three whole days, crossing glacial streams at numerous places, and wading through the icy cold water of the Shimshal River, to reach other parts of Hunza. Today, however, the valley is reachable in small vehicles on an unpaved, narrow road.
The opening of this road has brought a palpable change in the valley.
Under the radiant sun
The locals in Shimshal generate their own electricity by harnessing solar energy, almost every house in the valley has multiple solar panels installed on the rooftop. Most houses have solar panels alongside dish antennas.
"There are around 200 houses in Shimshal and every house uses solar panels to generate electricity," a proud local Shambi Khan told me.
He proudly adds that compared to other people living at a similar altitude — 3,000 metres above sea level in Asia — Shimshal's residents enjoy a much better quality of life.
Some locals shared with me that they had also installed solar panels in the Pamir pastures, located close to the border with China, where shepherds live throughout the freezing winters and tend to their yaks.
I interacted with a local development practitioner, Pervez Ahmad, who told me that a community school in the village also uses solar panels to generate electricity. "The Naubahar school produces around 20KV electricity through solar panels, which is enough to run the IT lab and supply electricity to 18 classrooms.”
Ghulam Shah — a social activist and tourist guide — acknowledged the fact that solar panels are good to light houses, but cannot be used to run heavy electrical items.
He said that the previous Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government had started construction work on a 0.2MW hydropower station.
“On completion, the power house can generate enough electricity throughout the year for Shimshal,” he hoped.
Others, I spoke to, were sceptical of the project because they said that the previous governments had failed to complete a hydropower station in the nearby village of Misgar.
Take a look: Make your own electricity: A tale of Swat’s restless heroes
I learned that an NGO called Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRPS) had helped the local community to build a 112KV microhydel power house in 1997 in Shimshal.
Unfortunately, the power house cannot be functional for more than three months at a stretch because of the unavailability of round-the-year running water.
Notwithstanding, it was inspiring to see that the residents of Shimshal are not sitting around just waiting for things to happen and instead, are deeply determined to be self-sufficient.
When governments fail us, as they so often do, residents of this remote valley, in going about their daily lives, are settling shining examples for the rest of Pakistan.
—Photos by author
Noor Pamiri is from Gilgit-Baltistan. He is an Islamabad-based development communications professional.
He tweets @noorpamiri
The views expressed by this writer and commenters below do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
Comments (54) Closed
Now prices have gone down significantly for these solar panels. It is time for solar revolution in our country and everyone should strive to generate own electricity during day.
Thank you Noor, I really admired this great story. I think the Fine people of GB are the most innovative and progressive in whole Pakistan. Keep writing the good things. I am sharing it on Facebook.
Solar is either a child's toy or a politicians money making machine. Its pure junk, apart from lighting a lamp or a small device !!
Get into hydro. Its simple, a million times more effective, perennial for the hills and clean. SHPs or small hydro projects ( less than 5 mw) produce 90000 mw in China today. Even Pico hydro, less than 100 kw and costing just a few Lakh rupees is a magical little machine. Have water, will power !!
This is how most of us should behave, we need to do it for our own self but I guess burning tires and closing road is the best most of us can do, proud of people of Shimshal
Great
Z.A.Bhutto had started a project named "100 Small Hydel Power Stations In the Northern Areas", based upon streams nearby villages. Work had started started under a person named Col. Mehdi as the project director. The capacities were average 150 KV and Turbines were to be locally produced in Gujranwala. The project died with the fall of Bhutto.
A shining example for the rest of the country where most people leave everything to the state and then spend most of their energy in protests when they get nothing.
Great
Well Done
@ak - what's good for us is the only good thing, to hell with everyone else. Kalabagh is a distant dream, solar is a grassroots solution especially for the poor - live with it.
@AsR : Although Govt. has removed duty on solar panels but it has all been pocketed by the sellers.
Renewable sources of energy is the way forward. Pakistanis individually should become energy independent.
The problem(masla)is that at night there is no sun so what do you do at night
I wish every roof in Pakistan could have solar array and the IPPs are made legally bound to purchase back the unused power from these panels.
@ak Significance of Solar energy is increasing with every passing day. As per the study undertaken by Stanford university by 2030 most of the energy generated in the world will be by Solar.
Much respect. Shining example for all of us.
amazing apni madad aap..., community based work. excellent example for others.
Simply great!
@Sense In US, people who rely on solar use the grid (electricity company) at night. In day they produce so much electricity that they sell electricity to the grid which reduces the bill for electricity used at night. If someone is off grid in rural areas like Shimshal, they could adopt wind power by installing small turbines in addition to solar. There are also solar batteries that charge during the day and provide power during the night like UPS.
The Naubahar school produces 20kWh, not kV (kilo watt hours, not kilo volts). That costs about $60,000 to install, along with inverter costs. Now how many schools can afford that?
Visited Hunza Valley during September 2015 and was left totally awestruck . We all know how beautiful the whole valley is but what surprised me the most were it's people . Never thought that I would get to meet some of the most progressive bunch of people in one of the most remote areas of Pakistan. They practice a much more moderate version of Islam and because of this Hunza is probably the most peaceful place in Pakistan . If the true ideology of our founding fathers can ever be found in this country then it's Hunza Valley. The people of Hunza reflect what Pakistan was truly meant to be by our founding fathers. The most beautiful aspect about the valley is not it's beauty but it's people.
@M.Saeed Sir are you from ZAB's generation ? If what you said is true, it was quite a revolutionary idea for its time. Why do you think its not being implemented in the hilly areas now ?
@Ali S Exactly what I am trying to debunk. Solar IS NOT the grassroots solution U are looking for. Small or Pico hydro is. Once it becomes a revolution, it will be as omnipresent as cellular phones and towers have become today !
@Nasir In the world , not in our third world countries. China and Europe will lead in solar coz they lead in manufacturing. We shall continue playing with the junkie solar toys !!
This is called being part of the solution. A lesson for all of us
You store the energy in the batteries just like in the car
@sense in the night it runs on battery backup.
I am happy to see that the solar system which was installed by us, a team of two Germans, a Teamleader and a Solar Engineer, two Pakistani mechanics and many helping hands from SHIMSHAL now generates power for the school in the remote village. And - it might have encouraged the Shimshalis to go for solar. What impressed me most during the installation was, that the Shimshalis, after watching for about 20 minutes what the German engineer was doing, offered to help - and after only some minutes of training they continued to install the mounting system for the solar system with only some advise. Well done! Last but not least - what a fortune, you compared to us in GERMANY have so many hours of sunshine - just make use of it!
donated by the German charity Kinder- und Jugendbildung Shimshal e.V.
I visited Hunza valley and nearby villages back in 1986 and had similar pleasant surprises. AKRSP guides and helps these people big time. People are friendly, educated and progressive. I still have pictures of their self help projects and people. Even at that time teachers from Karachi would go their on rotation to teach at their schools. And later in 2001 here in Toronto I also witnessed results of those good efforts.. I met a 22 years old girl from Hunza who was in Toronto only for few weeks and was on the 2nd day of her first ever job in Toronto and was so well mannered, civilized, and confident in her communication and presentation that one would never believe that she had never been outside Hunza all her life. One person in Hunza told me that their hazir imam (Agha Khan) advised them that if you have money to educate one child only, educate your daughter. God willing, I have plans to settle down and teach in Hunza after retirement.
excellent achievement. others should adopt solar energy panels to overcome electricity shortage in the country.
learn from gilgiti people
Noor, that is well written, informative and timely
God bless people of Shimshal valley! Be happy, wise and thankful. from Colorado.
Amazing, did the local community acquire solar panels on their own I wonder, or did the AKDF kick start the programme with some funds?? Either way, an eye opener, empowerment to local communities!!!
good example for all of us.. instead of blaming govt n power supplying companies we should do our own efforts for our comfort.
@ak In order to build a dam, often one has to destroy a forest. Solar energy needs some form of storage. Carrying batteries to Shimsha must be difficult and costly. Both hydro and solar have their advantages and drawbacks.
@Sense Use the batteries.
@brr
The school in SHISMHAL and the solar system are donations by the German charity 'Kinder und Jugendhilfe Shimshal e.V.'. I have seen the school while installing the solar system with a team of a German solar engineer, two Pakistani mechanics and helping hands from SHIMSHAL. Having seen the school - I know the investment pays off! There are aleady young people from SHIMSHAL studying at universities in ISLAMABAD and LAHORE!
@BNS Thanks for kind remarks about Hunza and its people. You are more then welcome to Hunza for the noble cause i.e. teaching.
Wow Remote Area shame on Kesc Hesco Wapda .... :D
Nice information, just a correction: 20KV is not a proper unit to describe electrical power, it should be 20 KW (killowatts instead of killovolts).
Thanks Noor Pamiri for Highlighting my Village Shimhal!
This is amazing!!
@Hans Joachim Gerber and Noor pamiri thank you for making a change in lives of the people who are away from our beloved lawmakers and custodians sitting thousand of miles away in their parliament building with huge donated backup electricity. Their abilities are being used to keep the masses in poverty and lawlessness. Thank you you have shown people can change their lives with little help.
BRILLIANT
"Where there's a will, there's a way!" Well done!
@Sense Don't you have common sense? There is a thing called 'battery', I think you have heard about it. Batteries can be charged using solar panels and the stored energy can be used at night.
Self help is the best help! Those community leaders who made it possible have Set an example of leadership. One of the hangovers of colonialism is : look to the govt for solution to problems when people could do it with a bit of Own efforts.
@Sense Batteries. With enough batteries you can power for the night. Lights, fans and other basic items can run batteries charged by solar for days.
Thanks for this interesting article and photos by Noor Pamiri. There are two points to be mentioned.
How do the 200 residents earn their living?
Capacity/ size of solar panels, generators,etc is always in KW and not KV as mentioned by the author frequently.
@ak well, I can't argue your argument with facts, but from what I know, solar panels are all the rage in Europe, despite the abundance of water, there must be something to it. I have myself seen whole fields covered with solar panels in Bayern(german province), and there are homes, which are 100 percent solar panel powered and actually earning money by providing extra electricity to the grid.
Great story of self support instead of always waiting for Govt help, which rarely comes.
@Ahsan Ali Syed
1.Thanks for the correction wrt the panels' capacity. I should have been more careful.
Hurrah! Impressive story. I'm very happy to see that people living in remote areas are adopting new trends of energy.