THIS refers to the misery of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan owing to heavy snowfall. It has been over a week that GB has been under heavy snowfall.

More than two feet of snow can be seen in Skardu, while four to five feet of snow has been recorded in the upper villages of Skardu, including Siachen, the highest battlefield in the world.

Baltistan has been disconnected with the rest of Pakistan. Thousands of travellers are stuck at Gilgit-Skardu road. Food and medicine supplies are running short and daily life has come to a standstill.

The media is not giving proper coverage to the suffering of the people living on high altitudes. They have been stranded and they do not have any access to other areas.

There is no mobilisation of the rescue machinery to make roads accessible. As people face heavy snowfall and avalanche, bitter cold has compounded the miseries of the people.

Yet despite these trying times the GB people face, no emergency has been declared in the affected areas. This is sheer injustice.

The meteorology department has forecast another spell of heavy snowfall in GB. If measures are not taken to alleviate the pain and suffering of the people, they will face a greater loss of property and lives.

Ghulam Muhammad Balti
Skardu

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2020