Mushtaq Ahmad There is a long history of global pandemic and epidemics, but there is also evidence that all these have been challenged by man. Consequently, there have been great losses of human lives coupled with social and economic vicissitudes as well. At the same time, every major crisis brings opportunities to rethink our systems and make them stronger to future …

Herald Report ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s tourism sector suffered another jolt as the PTDC has announced to shut down its 30 motels and terminate the services of its 450 permanent employees, prompting a strong reaction from social media activists and employees over the government’s decision. PTDC Motel SkarduAccording to a circular issued on July 1, the members of Board of Governors of …

Herald Report Islamabad: A digital rights watchdog has expressed concern at the difficulties being faced by students in attending online classes due to lack of Internet facilities in the rural area of Pakistan and mountainous regions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. The organisation has urged the government to provide an appropriate recourse for the students who are unable to access e-learning modules during …

Naba Basar discovers the secrets of healthy, organic and innovative mountain cuisine from Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral. She shares her experiences of the mountain regions adventure, hospitality, social customs, lifestyle in a series of features for The High Asia Herald readers. Chilpindok – large chapattis spread with pai, homemade yogurt and qurut dried yugart and butter/apricot oil, stacked in piles. It …

Naba Basar discovers the secrets of healthy, organic and innovative mountain cuisine from Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral. She shares her experiences of the mountain regions adventure, hospitality, social customs, lifestyle in a series of features for The High Asia Herald readers. Soups   Don’t expect to find the Chinese soups you are accustomed to in cities. You may or may not …

Naba Basar discovers the secrets of healthy, organic and innovative mountain cuisine from Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral. She shares her experiences of the mountain regions adventure, hospitality, social customs, lifestyle in a series of features for The High Asia Herald readers. Food should never be the sole reason to travel. Fortuitously for many, it is a popular trend for both domestic …

British colonial officer John Biddulph’s book is considered as one of the pioneering works in English that provided an insight to the secluded societies, lifestyles, languages,  customs, marriages, festivals, ruling families and general characteristics of the many tribes that inhabited the Hindu Kush region Reviewed by Basharat Wakhani Tribes of the Hindoo Koosh written by British colonial officer John Biddulph is considered as one of the …

The reconstruction work started after almost one year since it was damaged by floods in July last year By Gul Hamaad Farooqi CHITRAL: Rehabilitation work on Golen Gol Water Supply Project that was destroyed by glacier lake outburst floods (GLOF) on July 8, 2019, started on Monday. The project remained dysfunctional for one year depriving 40,000 residents of Chitral Town …

The case of the Shughni language by Farman Ali The Pamirian languages are spoken by people in Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral regions of Pakistan as well as Xinjiang province of China. The Pamirian Languages — a linguistic term — has been employed even before the advent of the Soviet Union, the first socialist state, by one of the pioneers …

Globally over 75m jobs are at risk in tour and hospitality sectors, 48.7m in Asia-Pacific and 75,000 in Pakistan   High Asia Herald Report As adventure tourism season in Pakistan draws closer and the country reeling from the devastating impact of coronavirus pandemic, the tour operators in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral are still hoping against hope. Although Pakistan has eased lockdown and …

In this essay, Amir Hussain critiques the so-called Green Revolution, its myths of rural transformation in the Global South with Pakistan as a case study. This is the first piece of a series of essays, summarising literature survey that he did for the forthcoming book on rural transformation published in The News today.   Amir Hussain   Rural transformation can …

By Gul Hammad Farooqi CHITRAL: As the fear of the people of Chitral rises due to the spike in coronavirus cases in the Hindu Kush mountainous region, so does the anxiety of the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) staffers who have not yet been paid their salaries for the last three months. The TMA officials are performing duty in a very …

  High Asia Herald Report The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Wildlife Department team and a WWF-Pakistan’s filmmaker captured a Himalayan lynx hunting a markhor on the steep, rocky cliffs of Chitral valley. According to an official statement, this is for the first time that a nocturnal hunter and highly elusive animal has been filmed in the area. The lynx, locally considered …

Herald Correspondent CHITRA: Tehsil municipal administrations of Chitral and Drosh continue to distribute free masks, gloves, and sanitizers at public places, markets as well as spray quarantine centres to stop any outbreak of coronavirus in the two districts of Chitral. Tehsil  Municipal Officer Misbahuddin on Friday distributed masks, gloves, and sanitizers among vegetable sellers, security guards and pushcart owners in the …

by Fatehul Mulk Ali Nasir   Prior to Aman-ul-Mulk’s ascension to the throne of Chitral in 1858 the fortunes of this deep valley set amongst the heights of the Hindu Kush were very different. Chitral has long had a tradition of kingship, and indeed the early signs of nationhood, since at least the days of the Chinese Book of Tang, …