Health

Coronavirus and the Hunza Model

Published

4 years ago

April 5, 2020

Gohar Abbas - Gilgit-Baltistan Blogger on GBee

Photo: Gohar Abbas (Facebook)

Here are the reasons why Hunza has emerged successfully so far in implementing the measures considered indispensable to overcome the pandemic of Coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan. This might be the reason that the valley has currently zero Coronavirus cases.

To begin with, having a large chunk of the population as Ismailis, the JamatKhanas (prayer halls) were closed very early and they remain closed to date. Nobody protested, nobody resisted and everyone followed the guidelines, thanks to the structure of central leadership under the Ismaili Council for Pakistan.

But the concept of volunteerism played the most crucial role. Boy scouts have been deployed at the entry point of every village and even within the villages, these scouts dressed in Khaki uniforms with a scouting scarf that resembles the Ismaili flag. They stand guard at different neighborhoods enforcing social distancing. They don’t need to use force either are allowed by the law but thanks to the deep-rooted concept of respect and regard to the scouts, people listen to them.

Members of Ismaili District Boy Scouts Association in uniform can be seen on duty in Gojal, Upper Hunza district.

Even if a teenager or someone in their early twenties is standing at a certain spot and tells someone in his/her 40s or 50s not to go beyond that point, the person will neither resist nor argue but obey with a smile. Accompanying these young group of boys in their 20s are men wearing red and yellow jackets with the word Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) inscribed on their uniforms.

These are again volunteers of the Community Emergency Response Team who are neither paid nor employees. In normal life, they are businessmen, teachers, government servants or bankers but they are the first responders during any crisis and they are trained for it.

Rescue 1122 personnel disinfecting public places on the Karakoram Highway in Gojal, Hunza.

Another beautiful side to the story is the role of students of medicine, nursing, pharmacy and other related medical professions who enlisted themselves as volunteers and every village has at least one such individual in the group of scouts and CERT teams.

These students had returned from different cities of Pakistan after the outbreak. The local traders distributed free masks among the population well ahead of time and most of them closed their business. Now we have certain shops in every village who deliver goods to the doorsteps of customers.

These initiatives made the work very easy for the local administration and that’s why the local administration always turns towards the community for help during crisis and natural calamities. But the war against COVID-19 disease is far from over. Hundreds of students rushed back to Hunza from cities that need to be tested.

Members of Pakistan Boy Scouts Association on duty in Gojal, Hunza, wearing basic personal protective gear.

On the socio-economic side, the coming few weeks will test the stamina of these volunteers. In the coming weeks and months when the lockdown is partially lifted and tourists from Pakistani cities start pouring in, that would be the real test of our Hunza model because the volunteers would have been exhausted by then.

Moreover, food shortage will hit the region hard given its dependence on products from Pakistani cities which will pose a major challenge for the community institutions and manpower. Let’s hope they already have devised their strategy because these selfless people are well ahead of time. Stay safe my beloved Hunza.

The blog was originally posted on Facebook.

Gohar Abbas

Gohar Abbas is an award-winning journalist who has worked for the national and international media for over the past ten years. He currently studies broadcast journalism at the New York Film Academy.

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Climate

Aga Khan Agency for Habitat and Government of Gilgit-Baltistan sign the Resilient Hunza Plan

Published

4 years ago

December 1, 2020

GBee Staff

AKAH Pakistan World Water Day 2020 Stories

The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH Pakistan) has signed a partnership agreement with the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan to conduct a study for a sustainable solution of drinking water supply for central Hunza sourced from Attabad lake. The feasibility will include Hazard Vulnerability and Risk Assessments of the supply line and eight settlements. The agreement was signed between the Planning and Development Department of Gilgit Baltistan, the District of Hunza, and the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat in Hunza.

Central Hunza faces acute water shortage as most settlements depend on two glacial melt streams (Hassanabad Nallah and Ultar Nallah) as their primary source of water. The recent glacial lake outburst floods from both glaciers have severely impacted water supply and other community infrastructure. Growth in tourism to the area, critical for economic development, adds further pressure on the region’s water resources. Using its rich experience around the design and implementation of water supply systems in mountain areas combined with its hazard risk assessment and overall habitat planning expertise AKAH will provide technical support to the Government on this highly important study.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Syed Abrar Hussain Shah, Additional Chief Secretary Gilgit-Baltistan, said that “The Government of Gilgit Baltistan is grateful to Aga Khan Development Network for realizing several development projects, reducing poverty and empowering communities. We value AKAH’s support to the government of GB on various development initiatives particularly around climate change and providing access of clean drinking water to the rural and urban areas in Gilgit Baltistan.”

In his address, Mr. Fayaz Ahmed, Deputy Commissioner Hunza, shared that “This partnership with AKAH will enable us to provide sustainable access to clean drinking water to 5,500 households, commercial entities, health and education facilities from eight settlements of central Hunza including Faizabad, Altit, Karimabad, Ganish, Garelth, Haiderabad, Dorkhand and Aliabad This feasibility study will not only identify solutions for the current needs of the community but also help boost the tourism potential of the area in the years to come”

In his remarks, Mr. Nawab Ali Khan, Chief Executive Officer, Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, Pakistan shared that “AKAH has the mandate of creating resilient human habitats and we will support any initiative that is aligned with our mandate.” He further said “AKAH is thankful to the government for all its support that has enabled us to serve communities in need.”

Over the last two decades, the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, Pakistan has provided 500,000 people with water and sanitation facilities across Pakistan mainly in mountain communities. This has resulted not only in reducing waterborne diseases but also improved health and economic conditions as well as reduced the burden on women and girls of fetching water from long distances.

Environment

AKAH Pakistan join hands with the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan to design a major water supply project in Central Hunza

Published

4 years ago

October 10, 2020

GBee Staff

Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) Pakistan Hunza Water project

The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) Pakistan, signed a partnership agreement with Government of Gilgit-Baltistan to conduct a study for sustainable solution of drinking water supply for central Hunza sourced from Attabad lake. The feasibility will include Hazard Vulnerability and Risk Assessments of the supply line and eight settlements. The agreement was signed between the Planning and Development Department of Gilgit Baltistan, the District of Hunza and Aga Khan Agency for Habitat in Hunza.

Growth in tourism to the area, critical for economic development, adds further pressure on the region’s water resources. Using its rich experience around the design and implementation of water supply systems in mountain areas combined with its hazard risk assessment and overall habitat planning expertise AKAH will provide technical support to the Government on this highly important study.

Mr. Nawab Ali Khan, CEO, AKAH, P and Mr. Syed Abrar Hussain Shah, Additional Chief Secretary Gilgit-Baltistan and Mr. Fayaz Ahmed, Deputy Commissioner Hunza, are signing the partnership agreement to conduct a feasibility study to design a water project for central Hunza.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Syed Abrar Hussain Shah, Additional Chief Secretary Gilgit-Baltistan, said
that “The Government of Gilgit Baltistan is grateful to Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) for realizing several development projects, reducing poverty and empowering communities. We value AKAH’s support to the government of GB on various development initiatives particularly around climate change and providing access to clean drinking water to the rural and urban areas in Gilgit Baltistan.”

In his remarks, Mr. Nawab Ali Khan, Chief Executive Officer, Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, Pakistan
shared that “AKAH has the mandate of creating resilient human habitats and we will support any initiative that is aligned with our mandate.” He further said “AKAH is thankful to the government for all
its support that has enabled us to serve communities in need.”

Over the last two decades, the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, Pakistan has provided 500,000 people with water and sanitation facilities across Pakistan mainly in mountain communities. This has resulted not only in reducing waterborne diseases but also improved health and economic conditions as well as
reduced the burden on women and girls of fetching water from long distances.