Anthropologist Tobias Marschall spent 11 months living among nomadic Pamir Kyrgyz herders in the isolated mountain valleys of northeastern Afghanistan between 2015 and 2019. Below is a feature based on his research and field reports. Resettling an entire ethnic group in another country is a monumental task fraught with legal, political, and logistical complications. But that’s what Kyrgyz President Sadyr …

News Desk Gilgit: Prime Minister Imran Khan today unveiled the plaque at a ceremony in Chinar Bagh here to lay the foundation of the first information technology park located at Nasirabad, Hunza. Established jointly by Special Communications Organization (SCO) and the Aga Khan Foundation Pakistan (AKF-P), the IT Park will provide infrastructure with uninterrupted power supply, high-speed internet facility and …

At least 43 people were killed and thousands evacuated amid border clashes between Kyrgyz and Tajik forces on April 28-29. There have been a series of similar clashes in recent years. Fighting again broke out along the Kyrgyz-Tajik border. This time, the intensity of the battles was far worse and more widespread than anything seen before. Photo: RFE/RL Also see: …

Ayzirek Imanaliyeva, Kamila Ibragimova Sporadic shooting continued throughout the day on April 30 on the border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as a clearer picture emerged of the destruction wrought by the worst battle the two Central Asian states have fought since gaining independence. Kyrgyz men from Kyzyl-Bel say they are protecting their village. (all photos by Danil Usmanov/Eurasianet) At least …

by Gul Nayab Kaiser Islamabad, April 27: The government has further tightened restriction on travel and tourism and called for compliance with SOPs during religious gatherings and Eid Holidays. A complete ban has been imposed on tourism, inter-provincial and intra-city transport from May 8 to 16 including Eid holidays, a notification issued by the interior ministry said on Tuesday. The …

By Sher Zaman It was a chilly morning of March 2021 at the busy Gahkuch Bazaar. The bazaar here opens early at dawn and closes at dusk. Young Hidayatullah* has opened his general store in the heart of the bazaar. He was looking forward to a usual day before he would retire to his shared room with several other traders …

by Zameer Abbas In the spring of 2009, Syed Yahya Shah came to see me, a budding government official, in Gilgit. We were working on his citation for a certain award. Our first meeting panned out to much more than the award recommendation. He talked about sectarianism and the narrow interpretation of Islam for nominal gains by the clergy. Gilgit …

F. Ali Syed Yahya Shah Al-Hussaini, a noted religious scholar, political leader, social reformer, nature conservationist, folklorist and award-winning writer passed away in Gilgit on Sunday, (April 11, 2021) at the age of 85 after a brief illness. He was elected a member of the Gilgit–Baltistan Advisory Council after the abolition of Nagar State in 1975. He was re-elected a …

Modern audio recording studio and other facilities established in a record two-month time. Songs of legendary artist and singer Jan Ali will be recorded first. High Asia Herald Report Artist and singer Jan ali along with PNCA Director-General inaugurate culture Centre at Sports and Culture Complex, Jutial in Gilgit on Thursday, April 8, 2021. Photo HAH/PNCA Pakistan National Council of …

Imran Mukhtar In a fresh bid to halt illegal logging in the scenic Gilgit-Baltistan region, Pakistan has brought in a paramilitary force to stop organised groups from cutting down trees and transporting them to other parts of the country. The Frontier Constabulary (FC), a civil armed force working under the federal government, was deployed in January to support the GB …

By Ghulam Amin Beg For some years we thought that we have learned our lessons and embraced peace after decades of violence. We thought ‘the powers that be’ will ensure peace and calm in Gilgit-Baltistan as the gateway to CPEC and will shun the policy of ‘divide and rule’. We thought coalition governments and inclusive policies will help transition to …

News Desk A Pakistani climbers team are in Nepal to make mountaineering history by attempting Annapurna to pay tribute to the late Muhammad Ali Sadpara, who died on K2 on February 5, 2021, along with two Western mountaineers. The four-climber team will attempt the 10th highest mountain peak of the world as a tribute to the high-altitude porters of Gilgit-Baltistan. …

By Rozina Ahmed Marriage is a social contract between an adult man and woman with their free will to live a life together. The success of this relationship depends on shared ideals, mutual respect, dignity and equal distribution of economic and social responsibilities. However, historically, women have always been disadvantaged and exploited in the name of customs and traditions associated …

News Desk When I cycled to Shimshal last year to document the stories of high altitude porters, little did I know where this journey would take me? If there is one thing I learnt from this visit, it was how to nurture your dreams despite adverse circumstances, writes blogger, climber Kamran Munawar on Bike on his Facebook page. “Passion, positivity, …

I lost my brother but not the courage we shared, says the award-winning documentary ‘Unsung Heroes’ Pakistan Shero fame climber Shakela Nazar By Raheem Sherazi Shakeela and Nadeema during the climb of Yazghel Sar Peak in Shimshal. Photo: Qudrat Ali “Look! I did what I could not in your life without you.” These are the words of Shakila Numa, one …