The illegal cutting and commercial exploitation of glaciers in regions like Dir, Chitral, Swat, Shangla, Kaghan, and Naran in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) pose a significant threat to the province’s ecological and climatic stability. These activities violate environmental protection regulations in KP.
Pakistan, home to over 7,000 glaciers, boasts the largest mass of ice outside the polar regions. These glaciers, located in the Karakoram, Himalayan, and Hindu Kush mountain ranges, are vital for irrigation, providing meltwater for local communities’ crops. However, climate change has led to rapidly rising temperatures and melting snow, causing massive flooding and frequent drownings. Like many alpine areas worldwide, glaciers in Pakistan are receding.
KP houses approximately 3,050 glaciers, primarily in its northern regions. These glaciers are crucial for the region’s water resources and ecological balance. Unauthorized extraction and transportation of glacier ice for commercial purposes, particularly in Upper Dir, have been reported. During Ramadan, 200 to 300 mini-trucks loaded with ice blocks were transported daily to various districts.
Despite Pakistan’s international obligations, there is no specific national or provincial legislation addressing glacier protection. The Environmental Protection Act of 1997, the KP Environmental Protection Act of 2014, and the Climate Change Act of 2017 do not mention glaciers. This legal gap is alarming given the glaciers’ crucial role in ecological and climatic stability.
Countries like Argentina and Tajikistan have enacted laws for glacier protection. Pakistan, especially the KP provincial assembly and Gilgit-Baltistan legislative assembly, needs to pass similar laws immediately to prevent further damage.
Unauthorized glacier cutting violates existing environmental protection laws in KP. Immediate investigation and enforcement of legal penalties against perpetrators are necessary. The depletion of glaciers disrupts the ecological balance, affecting local flora and fauna and undermining efforts to preserve biodiversity and protect endangered species. Glaciers regulate Earth’s climate by reflecting solar radiation and maintaining global temperature balance. Their reduction accelerates global warming and climate change, impacting weather patterns, agricultural productivity, and human health.
Glaciers serve as important freshwater reservoirs. Their degradation threatens water availability, food security, and livelihoods. The destruction of glaciers will also adversely affect tourism, leading to economic losses for local communities dependent on this sector. Pakistan, a signatory to the Paris Agreement and other international climate and environmental protection laws, is mandated to protect glacier reserves.
Authorities must conduct comprehensive investigations into illegal glacier-cutting activities, identify and prosecute those responsible, and enforce existing environmental protection laws. Awareness campaigns to educate local communities about the long-term consequences of glacier depletion and the promotion of sustainable practices for glacier conservation are crucial. The KP and federal governments must pass laws to protect and preserve these vital natural resources.
