PART IV: STRENGTHENING THE BROKEN THREAD – OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, AND THE PATH FORWARD

Author Note

This paper is the final installment (Part IV) of a four-part series on the history of Hunza, originally published on the author's blog, Diverse Dreams. Part I is available at https://diversedream.blogspot.com/2025/01/hunza-history-part-i.html. Part II is available at https://diversedream.blogspot.com/2025/02/hunza-history-part-ii.html. Part III is available at https://diversedream.blogspot.com/2025/02/hunza-history-part-iii.html.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

· 59.2% of households in Hunza and Nagar districts experience land conflicts

· 56.6% of GLOF-affected villagers suffer from PTSD

· 23.11% of Hunza district is prone to landslides

· 50% of the region remains excluded from the Land Reforms Act 2025

· Four languages -Burushaski, Wakhi, Shina, and Domaaki-are endangered

· Customary laws are more effective than formal courts but lack legal recognition

ABSTRACT

This concluding paper examines the opportunities, challenges, and practical solutions for sustainable development in the Hunza Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Drawing on peer-reviewed research, institutional reports, and legislative records, the analysis focuses on six key areas: (1) the governance transition following the end of princely rule; (2) land conflicts and their consequences; (3) climate change and environmental problems; (4) infrastructure development and energy shortages; (5) artificial intelligence as both opportunity and challenge; and (6) the generation gap between elders and youth.

A comprehensive study by Shah (2025) surveyed 390 households across Hunza and Nagar districts. The findings reveal that 59.2% of households experienced land conflicts, 59.7% experienced water conflicts, 59.6% experienced forest conflicts, and 57.9% experienced conflicts over minerals and gemstones. Land disputes across Gilgit-Baltistan remain a persistent challenge, with cases pending in courts for decades. This situation creates community tensions and wastes significant time and resources. The 25 September 1974 dissolution of the Hunza State occurred without a proper transition plan. Traditional customary laws were not properly documented or legalised through constitutional amendments, leaving them in a state of legal chaos. Local community-based methods often work better than formal courts, yet the current system leaves many cases unresolved. The 2025 Land Reforms Act, passed by the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, abolishes the Khalisa Sarkar system and recognises shared lands as community property. However, concerns about implementation remain.

This paper argues that customary laws should be given precedence and priority rather than facing replacement by new systems. The paper combines findings from satellite studies, health research, and legislative records to offer practical recommendations.

Keywords: Hunza Valley, land conflicts, governance transition, customary law, Land Reforms Act 2025, climate change, generation gap, sustainable development, Gilgit-Baltistan.

Figure 1. Shisper Glacier GLOF aftermath in Hunza Valley, August 2025. The flood destroyed a section of the Karakoram Highway, damaged protective walls, and affected over 50 homes (Nagri, 2025). The event damaged irrigation channels serving Aliabad and nearby villages, leaving communities with acute water shortages (Columbia Climate School, 2026). Source: Columbia Climate School (2026).

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

The previous parts of this series traced Hunza's journey through more than one thousand years of history. Part I examined ancient spiritual traditions and Buddhist foundations, including the Sacred Rock of Hunza (Haldeikish) with its petroglyphs from the first millennium CE (Diverse Dreams, 2025a). The ibex remains a revered animal, and the ritual ibex dance continues as a living testament to cultural practices spanning thousands of years. Part II traced the arrival of Ismaili Islam and the establishment of the Ayasho dynasty from 874 CE (Diverse Dreams, 2025b). Part III examined political changes, British colonial rule, the dissolution of the princely state in 1974, and introduced the metaphor of the "broken thread" connecting Hunza's ancient past to its present (Diverse Dreams, 2025c).

This final part moves from history to the future. The central question is: How can Hunza's communities deal with today's environmental, economic, and social challenges while keeping their cultural traditions alive?

Gilgit-Baltistan has no mention in Pakistan's Constitution. This leaves its administration at the discretion of power wielders and creates an uncertain legal framework for governance and development (Dawn, 2025c). This uncertainty fundamentally shapes every aspect of development and governance in the region.

1.2 Purpose

This paper combines research studies, institutional reports, and legislative records to examine six connected areas: (1) the governance transition following the end of princely rule; (2) conflicts over land, pastures, and minerals; (3) climate change and environmental damage; (4) infrastructure development and energy problems; (5) artificial intelligence as both opportunity and challenge; and (6) the generation gap between elders and youth. By integrating these themes, the paper aims to provide a comprehensive roadmap for sustainable development rooted in local realities and indigenous wisdom.

1.3 Theoretical Framework

The analysis uses resilience theory (Folke et al., 2010), which examines how communities absorb shocks while maintaining their core identity. This framework helps explain how Hunza has survived invasions, religious changes, colonial rule, and political dissolution while preserving its cultural distinctiveness. Additionally, the concept of "legal pluralism" (Merry, 1988) recognises that different systems of rules-state law, traditional law, and religious law-coexist in resource governance. These systems often create both conflict and opportunity. Finally, the "broken thread" metaphor, introduced in Part III, captures the tension between continuity and change. It provides a lens through which to examine how communities navigate the challenges of modernity while maintaining connection to their heritage.

2. THE GOVERNANCE TRANSITION: END OF PRINCELY RULE WITHOUT A TRANSITION PLAN

2.1 The Abolition of the Princely State

The Ayasho Dynasty ruled Hunza for approximately 1,100 years, from 874 CE to 1974 CE (Diverse Dreams, 2025c). On 25 September 1974, following the dissolution of princely states by Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's government, the state of Hunza formally acceded to Pakistan. This marked the end of a political tradition that had endured for over a millennium and had shaped the valley's governance structures, land tenure systems, and social hierarchies.

Local reactions to the dissolution were mixed. Some welcomed integration with Pakistan, viewing it as liberation from feudal obligations and an opportunity for democratic participation. Others mourned the loss of a thousand-year-old political tradition that had provided stability and continuity.

Family accounts describe the Mir's era not with nostalgia for feudal rule, but with respect for a system that resolved disputes quickly and fairly. The transition was largely peaceful, though it marked the end of an era and initiated a period of profound uncertainty.

2.2 The Institutional Void

The dissolution occurred without a proper transition plan. Traditional governance structures-including the Mir's authority, customary laws, and community-based dispute resolution mechanisms-were not properly documented or legalised through constitutional amendments.

Under the Ayasho dynasty, land governance was regulated primarily through customary practices. Local communities exercised use rights over communal lands and pastures. The Mir granted land and pasture rights, collected taxes, and resolved disputes through traditional mechanisms. When the state was abolished, these customary systems continued to be practised informally but lacked formal legal recognition. They were neither incorporated into the new administrative framework nor documented or codified. This created a state of legal chaos where customary practices existed alongside formal laws without clear integration or hierarchy.

As Bilal et al. (2003) documented, customary laws in the Northern Areas are sophisticated systems. They have mechanisms-permits, user fees, administrative and criminal penalties for unauthorised use-and institutions including rangers and judges that characterise statutory regimes. Yet the failure to integrate these systems into the formal legal framework has left communities navigating between two worlds without clear guidance.

2.3 The Khalisa Sarkar Framework and Its End

The inherited land framework from the Dogra administration further complicated the situation. Under the Khalisa Sarkar system, the state took possession of large swathes of land under the pretext that it was "barren." In reality, much of this land was used by local communities as common property (Dawn, 2025b; Dawn, 2025c). What in local parlance is called shamilat deh served agricultural, grazing, and many other purposes. It remained somewhat immune to capitalist logics of private property. This historic connection of Gilgit-Baltistan's people to the land has been gradually severed since 1974. Non-locals were permitted to buy up land for mass tourism, mineral exploration, and other commercial ventures.

On 21 May 2025, the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly passed the Land Reforms Act, 2025. This act abolished the Khalisa Sarkar system and recognised shared lands as community property (Dawn, 2025a). The act was formulated in consultation with public representatives, lawyers, experts, civil society members, and stakeholders to protect land ownership of local people (Dawn, 2025a). According to the bill, "common land" refers to all lands, including forests, rivers, lakes, streams, and glaciers. Such land will have ownership of local people (Dawn, 2025a). The land cannot be allocated as property to any one individual or family. It is indispensable for the collective use of the local community or environmental protection (Dawn, 2025a).

The Gilgit-Baltistan Bar Council hailed the approval as the first legislation to give land ownership to locals, replacing the colonial-era law (Dawn, 2025d). Under the new law, the Northern Areas Nautore Rules of 1978 have been replaced. These rules had vested all powers related to Nautore Land in the collector/deputy commissioner. The new system divides land into two categories: Common Land and Government Land (Dawn, 2025d). A District Land Appropriation Board (DLAB) has been constituted under Section 4. It is headed by the deputy commissioner, with the member of assembly of the concerned constituency also serving as a member (Dawn, 2025d).

Research and media reports have identified several implementation challenges associated with the Land Reforms Act, 2025. Approximately 50 per cent of the region remains excluded from the law's application pending formal settlement proceedings, delaying land ownership benefits for a substantial portion of the population (Dawn, 2025b). Scholarly analysis has highlighted ambiguities within the legislation, with certain clauses granting broad discretionary authority to state institutions and permitting non-local entities to acquire land, raising concerns regarding the protection of community rights (Dawn, 2025c). Limited public consultation and insufficient transparency in the legislative process have contributed to uncertainty among local communities, potentially affecting the perceived legitimacy of the reform initiative (Dawn, 2025e).

2.4 The Critical Importance of Customary Laws

A fundamental problem in the transition was the failure to properly document, legalise, and-most importantly-give precedence and priority to customary laws. These traditional systems have governed land and resource management in the region for centuries. They evolved through lived experience and community consensus. They are not static relics but dynamic systems that have demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability over generations.

As the research of Bilal et al. (2003) demonstrates, customary laws in the Northern Areas are sophisticated systems with many mechanisms, including permits, user fees, administrative and criminal penalties for unauthorised use, and institutions including rangers and judges that characterise statutory regimes. These systems have several distinct advantages:

· Community ownership: Customary laws emerge from the communities they govern, creating a sense of ownership and voluntary compliance.

· Local knowledge: They incorporate deep understanding of local conditions, including seasonal variations, ecological constraints, and community needs.

· Flexibility: They can adapt to changing circumstances without requiring formal legislative processes.

· Cost-effectiveness: They resolve disputes without the expense and delay of formal court systems.

· Social cohesion: They strengthen community bonds rather than creating adversarial relationships.

However, these systems were never formally documented or incorporated into the legal framework. The result is that customary practices continue informally but lack legal recognition. This creates uncertainty about land ownership and use rights.

Recent scholarship on customary laws in the region has emphasised the urgent need to revive, update, and institutionalise these laws. This should be done in a way that aligns with modern realities (Pamir Times, 2025). Rather than replacing these time-tested systems with new bureaucratic frameworks, the priority should be to document, recognise, and strengthen them.

Customary laws should be given precedence and priority over attempts to impose new systems that may not understand or respect local contexts. New attempts to replace old traditions risk disrupting social cohesion, losing valuable local knowledge, increasing costs, and creating unintended consequences.

The approach should be to supplement and strengthen customary systems rather than replace them. This means documenting customary laws and practices systematically. It means legalising them through appropriate constitutional and legal amendments. It means integrating them into the formal legal framework while respecting their autonomy. It means training formal legal institutions to recognise and work with customary systems. Finally, it means resolving conflicts between customary and formal systems through dialogue and mutual adaptation.

There is a strong and growing consensus on this approach. A recent seminar and workshop in Nasirabad (Hini), Hunza, brought together scholars, community leaders, and activists. They argued that reconnecting with time-tested customary practices is essential for ensuring social harmony, environmental stewardship, and inclusive development in the region (The High Asia Herald, 2025; Pamir Times, 2025).

Through community work across Hunza, the strength of traditional dispute resolution mechanisms has been consistently observed. Elders frequently describe how the jirga system resolved conflicts within days-through dialogue, collective memory, and community consensus. The Nasirabad seminar, as reported in the media, reaffirmed what community members have shared: communities value their customary laws as essential to social harmony, yet express frustration that these systems remain unrecognised by formal legal institutions.

Participants emphasised that deep ambiguities and gaps in the existing governance system often lead to community-level conflicts. They argued that synchronising customary and contemporary laws could enable peaceful conflict resolution rooted in local wisdom (The High Asia Herald, 2025).

Gilgit-Baltistan's unclear political status remains the primary obstacle to its progress and development. The region has no mention in Pakistan's Constitution, leaving its administration at the discretion of power wielders (Dawn, 2025c). This constitutional limbo allows federal authorities extensive control over land and minerals (Dawn, 2025b). Resolving this status would provide the foundation for formally recognising customary laws.

It is worth bearing in mind that the adjacent Azad Jammu and Kashmir continues to be governed by statutes such as the State Subject Act. These statutes protect against demographic change and the acquisition of resources by non-locals. Yet in Gilgit-Baltistan, there is no consideration at all for age-old concerns about dem.ography, the rights of local people, and the perils of ecocide (Dawn, 2025c).

3 NATURAL RESOURCE CONFLICTS: LAND, PASTURES, AND MINERALS

3.1 Prevalence of Resource Conflicts: The Research Evidence

Conflicts over natural resources are widespread in Hunza and Nagar districts. A comprehensive study by Shah (2025) investigated natural resource conflicts and the institutional mechanisms for resolving them in the region. The research employed a mixed-method approach. It included a primary survey of 390 household heads, three focus group discussions, and eight key informant interviews conducted across both districts (Shah, 2025).

The findings from this survey reveal the significant scale of resource-based disputes:

· 59.2% of households experienced land conflicts

· 59.7% experienced water conflicts

· 59.6% experienced forest conflicts

· 57.9% experienced conflicts over minerals and gemstones

The scale of these numbers is striking. In a typical village of 100 households, nearly 60 families are dealing with a land dispute. Sixty families who could be farming, running businesses, or educating their children are instead spending their energy on conflict. This is not just a statistic-it is a human crisis affecting real families, real futures, and real hopes.

The study also found that informal institutional mechanisms-such as village councils, elders' meetings (jirgas), and religious leaders-are perceived as more effective than formal courts for resolving these problems (Shah, 2025). This suggests that the traditional community-based systems, though lacking formal legal recognition, continue to play a vital role in maintaining social order. This finding strongly supports the argument that customary laws should be given precedence and priority.

3.2 Common Types of Land Disputes

Land disputes in Hunza and Gilgit-Baltistan generally fall into five common categories.

First, disputes over pasturelands and grazing rights are among the most frequent conflicts. These arise from competition between communities for limited high-altitude grazing areas. This is particularly intense during summer months when livestock are moved to pastures. The designation of some areas as national parks or protected zones has further intensified these conflicts. Communities find their traditional grazing grounds restricted without clear alternative arrangements.

Second, boundary disputes between villages and communities are widespread. These conflicts often stem from unclear demarcation of village boundaries. These boundaries were traditionally understood but never formally surveyed or recorded. When development projects, trophy hunting, tourism infrastructure, or resource extraction occurs near these boundaries, latent disputes surface and escalate.

Third, land inheritance disputes within families constitute a significant category of conflicts. Customary inheritance practices have not been systematically documented or integrated into formal law. As a result, disagreements over property division frequently arise. These disputes often become multi-generational, with cases passed down through families without resolution.

The coexistence of customary inheritance practices-which traditionally did not recognise inheritance rights for women-with Pakistan's personal laws based on Islamic principles has created particular tensions. As research has shown, some women in Hunza have started to claim their inheritance rights, while traditionalists fear that this will undermine tribal loyalty and governance (Hal.science, n.d.). This tension reflects a broader negotiation between tradition and modernity that many communities face. On one hand, customary practices have provided social cohesion and stability for generations. On the other hand, formal legal frameworks offer women rights and protections that traditional systems have historically denied them. Neither a simple return to tradition nor a complete embrace of modern legal frameworks serves as a sufficient solution. What is needed is a path that honours both-one that respects the wisdom embedded in customary systems while ensuring that the rights of all community members, including women, are protected and upheld.

Fourth, conflicts over land acquisition for development projects have increased with CPEC and tourism infrastructure. When government agencies or private investors acquire land for roads, hotels, or other projects, compensation disputes and disagreements over land valuation frequently occur. Communities often feel that the process lacks transparency and that they receive inadequate compensation.

Fifth, mineral extraction and mining disputes represent a growing category of conflict. As demand for minerals increases, communities find themselves in conflict with companies and government agencies over mining rights, compensation, and environmental damage. Communities often feel excluded from decision-making processes that affect their lands and livelihoods.

3.3 Consequences of Unresolved Land Disputes

The consequences of unresolved land conflicts are severe. Land and property disputes have resulted in many cases pending in courts for years. This creates tensions among communities and wastes significant time and resources. Cases that drag on for decades consume court time, legal fees, and community energy that could be devoted to productive purposes. Disputes between individuals, villages, and communities create lasting animosity that undermines social cohesion. Without clear land titles, vulnerable individuals remain open to exploitation by powerful interests (Dawn, 2025b).

4. CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

4.1 Glacial Lake Outburst Floods

The Hunza Valley is experiencing serious climate change impacts. Glaciers are melting, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are occurring more frequently. Aaliya et al. (2025) conducted a study in Hassanabad, a village that experienced four GLOF events between 2019 and 2022. Surveying 305 residents (58% female), the study found that 15.08% had anxiety, 15.40% had depression, and 56.60% had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Aaliya et al., 2025; International Mountain Conference, 2025). Women had higher rates across all conditions-anxiety (22.03%), depression (23.72%), and PTSD (66.24%) compared to men (International Mountain Conference, 2025). Adults aged 46-60 had the highest rates (International Mountain Conference, 2025).

The PTSD statistic-affecting more than half of the village population-is sobering. Behind every flood statistic is a child who cannot sleep, a mother who is constantly anxious, an elder who relives the disaster every time it rains. These are not numbers; they are human lives, human suffering, and human resilience stretched to its limits. The human dimension of the environmental crisis deserves attention alongside the physical damage.

Age was a statistically significant predictor for PTSD (p<0.001). Males were predicted to have statistically significantly lower anxiety, depression, and PTSD scores compared to females (p<0.001) (International Mountain Conference, 2025).

These findings demonstrate that GLOF events have lasting psychological consequences beyond immediate physical damage. They emphasise the need for early mental health identification, culturally appropriate interventions, and pre- and post-disaster mental health funding. As Aaliya, a PhD student at Duke University, has emphasised, researchers who do not typically work in mental health should consider who in their own communities and study settings may be most vulnerable to the psychological effects of climate change (Duke Center for Global Mental Health, 2025). Climate resilience and mental health resilience are inseparable. As environmental pressures intensify, so do the psychological burdens on those most vulnerable to a changing climate (Duke Center for Global Mental Health, 2025).

These GLOF events are also creating new land disputes. When a flood destroys fields, the boundaries between properties become unclear. When families are displaced, they may seek refuge on land that belongs to someone else. When the government builds flood protection infrastructure, communities may disagree about where it should be built and who benefits. Climate change is not separate from the governance challenges discussed earlier-it is making them worse.

4.2 Multi-Hazard Vulnerability

Northern Pakistan, particularly the Hunza district, is highly susceptible to multiple hazards. A comprehensive multi-hazard assessment using machine learning found that 23.11% of the Hunza district is prone to landslides. Additionally, 6.07% is prone to flash floods, and 2.88% faces the highest multi-hazard zone (Springer, 2026). This multi-hazard vulnerability compounds the risks faced by communities and complicates disaster preparedness and response efforts.

4.3 Land Surface Changes

Khan et al. (2024) used satellite data to examine land surface changes in Gilgit and Hunza-Nagar districts. Key findings include that the area is becoming drier with increasing drought risk. Vegetation is decreasing, and built-up areas increased significantly between 2008 and 2023. These changes reflect both climate pressures and development patterns. They have implications for food security, water availability, and ecological sustainability.

5. INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND ENERGY CRISIS

5.1 CPEC and Economic Opportunities

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and upgraded Karakoram Highway have created new economic opportunities. Alam (2025) examined how infrastructure development affects women's entrepreneurship attitudes in Hunza District. The study found that infrastructure creates new business opportunities for women entrepreneurs. It also expands existing business opportunities through improved accessibility. The study recommends local government provide entrepreneurship training to maximise these opportunities.

Observations of Karimabad and Aliabad over the past decade reveal transformed landscapes. Where there were once a handful of local shops and hotels, there are now dozens of businesses. Young women who previously stayed home are now running guesthouses, handicraft shops, and restaurants—representing genuine progress. However, many of these new businesses are owned by outsiders from Lahore, Islamabad, or abroad, with profits leaving the valley and land being acquired by non-locals. The challenge lies in benefiting from development without being displaced by it.

5.2 Energy Crisis

The region's energy infrastructure remains unreliable. In January 2025, residents blocked the Karakoram Highway protesting power outages of 20+ hours daily during winter temperatures of minus 15°C, disrupting Pakistan-China trade. Families endured extreme hardship—elderly relatives shivering under blankets, students studying by candlelight, and growing frustration over decades of unfulfilled promises. This represents not merely an inconvenience but a fundamental failure of governance-a failure that affects grandparents, children, and everyone in between.

The region depends on hydroelectric power and remains disconnected from Pakistan's national grid, making it vulnerable during extreme weather. The energy crisis has significant implications for economic development, education, healthcare, and daily life.

There is a glimmer of hope: NPAK, a private company, has signed an agreement with the government to improve the energy system. However, residents harbour reservations about potentially high future tariffs, fearing that relief may come at an unaffordable cost. Despite these concerns, there is always room for improvement and reason for optimism. With transparent implementation, fair pricing, and genuine community engagement, the energy crisis can be addressed. The resilience that Hunza has demonstrated throughout its history provides hope that even this challenge can be overcome.

6. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

6.1 AI as a Tool for Disaster Risk Reduction

Machine learning models have been successfully applied to assess landslide susceptibility in the Hunza Valley. An integrated study achieved 0.96 accuracy in landslide susceptibility mapping (Zhang et al., 2025). A two-stage framework for GLOF susceptibility mapping found that the Gradient Boosting Machine performed best among thirteen models (ScienceDirect, 2026). These applications demonstrate AI's potential to enhance disaster preparedness and risk reduction in the region.

AI tools have proven useful in research—for translation, citation formatting, even drafting sections of this series. However, the AI being used is powered by data centres thousands of miles away, consuming electricity that could power entire villages in Hunza. Moreover, the minerals used in personal electronics may have been mined from mountains not unlike those called home by the ancestors. This uncomfortable truth-that the technology which helps may also be harming others-must be honestly acknowledged.

6.2 AI Risks

However, AI development also presents significant risks. Data centres require enormous energy, placing additional strain on already fragile energy infrastructure. Raw materials for AI hardware are often extracted from territories where communities live, putting ecosystems at risk. There is also risk of AI models obscuring or misrepresenting local knowledge. This is particularly concerning when algorithms are trained on data that does not adequately capture local contexts and indigenous knowledge systems (The Daily Star, 2025).

The January 2025 protests about power outages illustrate the challenge: the same energy crisis that left people freezing will make it nearly impossible to develop or run AI infrastructure locally. The question is whether AI will be a tool for liberation, or another form of extraction.

7. THE GENERATION GAP: MAINTAINING FAMILY HARMONY

7.1 Understanding the Generation Gap

The Elders' Perspective: The older generation's life was shaped by nature's rhythms, community elders' authority, and religious and cultural traditions. Their knowledge-of farming, mountain navigation, and traditional medicine-was acquired through lived experience and oral transmission. They carry within them the memory of a Hunza that existed before roads, before electricity, before the world outside knocked on their doors.

The Youth Perspective: The younger generation's life is shaped by smartphones, social media, and global aspirations. They begin educational journeys in isolated villages and move to urban centres in their teenage years. They experience a life foreign to their parents. They learn English and Urdu alongside their mother tongues and dream of careers in technology, medicine, or business. They carry within them the hopes of a generation that has seen the world and wants to bring its best back home.

Of course, these are generalisations. Many elders embrace technology, such as using WhatsApp to share traditional recipes with relatives abroad. And many young Hunzakuts remain deeply connected to tradition-sharing images of the ibex dance on social media, learning Burushaski from their grandparents, and organising community events. The generation gap is real, but it is not a simple divide; it is a complex negotiation between love for the past and hope for the future.

7.2 Language Shift Across Communities

The linguistic diversity of Gilgit-Baltistan faces significant challenges. Multiple languages are all experiencing varying degrees of language shift:

· Burushaski (spoken in Hunza, Nagar, and Yasin valleys) - Endangered

· Wakhi (spoken in Gojal and upper Hunza) - Endangered

· Shina (spoken in Gilgit and parts of Diamer) - Vulnerable

· Domaaki (spoken by the Doma community in Hunza and Nagar) - Severely endangered

The Endangered Languages Project notes that lack of institutional support and cultural homogenisation through education and media have greatly contributed to a drive towards language shift across the region.

Weinreich (2010) documented how language shift among speakers reflects broader social dynamics. Dominant societal attitudes affect educational choices, job opportunities, and even bank loans. Speakers perceive their traditional languages as obstructing chances for integration and upward mobility. Their gradual disappearance is seen as an acceptable price for achieving these goals. Many parents have made the conscious decision to communicate with their children in dominant languages such as Urdu or English. This reflects active language shift across multiple linguistic communities.

The Wakhi and Burushaski languages face particular challenges from the dominance of Urdu in education and government. English also poses a challenge as the language of higher education and economic opportunity. Shina, while more widely spoken across the region, also faces pressure from these dominant languages. Domaaki is particularly vulnerable, with less than half of the community speaking the language. Speaker numbers are decreasing at an accelerated pace (Endangered Languages Project, n.d.). The Domaaki language is used mainly in the home and/or with family. Many of the grandparent generation speak the language, but younger people generally do not (Endangered Languages Project, n.d.).

A note of caution is necessary here. The Doma community has historically faced discrimination in Hunza, and the Hunzakut community has sometimes treated Domaaki speakers as lower in status-a part of local history that must be acknowledged to address language loss. Writing from outside the Doma community, one cannot speak for them. However, language diversity is a treasure for all communities. When a language dies, everyone loses something-unique ways of understanding the world, words for plants and animals that no one else knows, songs and stories that cannot be translated. Every language lost is a library burned, a world of meaning gone forever.

7.3 Psychological Wellbeing

Khan, Leghari, and Pasha (2023) examined increased youth suicide cases in Hunza. Their study describes how local shamans explain suicide as punishment for violating sacred social order. However, they argue this actually carries deeper references to social and ecological disruptions.

Perhaps the most painful topic in this discussion is the increase in youth suicide cases. In earlier years, such incidents were virtually unheard of. Now, several cases are known. What has changed? Is it the pressure of modernity, the loss of traditional structures, the disconnection from community? Each case represents a young life extinguished-a child, a sibling, a friend whose future was stolen. While answers remain elusive, the crisis cannot be ignored. Both modern mental health services and traditional support systems are needed. The shamans and the psychologists both have something to offer. Most importantly, the young people themselves must be asked: what is happening, and how can they be helped?

8. Recommendations 

Theme 1: Constitutional Status and Customary Law Recognition

1. Address Constitutional Status: The unclear constitutional status of Gilgit-Baltistan creates legal uncertainty. Clarifying the region's constitutional position would provide legal certainty for land ownership and development (Dawn, 2025c). This must be the foundation of all other reforms.

2. Give Precedence and Priority to Customary Laws: The Land Reforms Act 2025 should be implemented in a way that recognises, respects, and strengthens customary legal systems. Rather than imposing new frameworks that disregard traditional practices, the approach should document, legalise, and integrate customary laws into the formal system. Customary laws have governed land and resource management for centuries and have demonstrated resilience and effectiveness. New attempts to replace old traditions risk disrupting social cohesion and losing valuable local knowledge. As the seminar in Nasirabad concluded, synchronising and harmonising customary and contemporary laws could enable peaceful conflict resolution rooted in local wisdom (The High Asia Herald, 2025).

3. Document and Legalise Customary Laws: A comprehensive effort should document customary practices across all communities and integrate them into the formal legal framework through appropriate legal and constitutional amendments. This documentation should involve community elders and traditional leaders to ensure accuracy and legitimacy. The event in Nasirabad demonstrated that youth-led organisations can play a crucial role in initiating such dialogue and documentation (Pamir Times, 2025).

4. Strengthen Community Conflict Resolution: Research shows local community methods work better than formal courts. Village-level councils, elders' meetings, and religious leaders should be supported and integrated into formal systems (Shah, 2025). These traditional mechanisms should be given official recognition and resources. A strong emphasis should be placed on empowering women in all village-level decision-making bodies, including the Numberdars, Jirga, and water and other local resource management committees (The High Asia Herald, 2025).

5. Ensure Inclusive Implementation: The Land Reforms Act 2025 must be implemented with genuine community participation. The concerns about bureaucratic control and limited representation should be addressed (Dawn, 2025b). The state must build consensus, gain the public's trust, and address local demands. Ignoring this critical element may result in resistance to resource extraction efforts (Dawn, 2025e).

6. Complete Land Settlement: Approximately 50 per cent of the region has been excluded from the law's implementation pending "settlement." This process should be expedited so that all communities benefit from the legislation (Dawn, 2025b).

7. Resolve Pending Cases: Expedite resolution of pending land and property disputes through special courts and mediation mechanisms that incorporate customary law principles. As research shows, land disputes across Gilgit-Baltistan have resulted in cases pending in courts for years, creating tensions among communities and wasting significant time and resources.

Theme 2: Climate Resilience

8. Strengthen Early Warning Systems: Invest in satellite-based and AI-powered glacial lake monitoring (Zhang et al., 2025). The successful application of machine learning models to assess landslide susceptibility demonstrates the potential of these technologies.

9. Integrate Mental Health Support: With PTSD affecting 56.6% of affected populations, culturally appropriate mental health services should be funded before and after disasters (Aaliya et al., 2025; International Mountain Conference, 2025). The study emphasises the importance of early identification of mental health issues and the implementation of culturally tailored interventions targeting vulnerable groups.

10. Implement Multi-Hazard Assessment: Use machine learning assessments for evidence-based disaster risk reduction policies (Springer, 2026). The comprehensive multi-hazard assessment of Northern Pakistan provides a model for evidence-based planning.

Theme 3: Sustainable Infrastructure

11. Address Energy Infrastructure: The January 2025 crisis demands systematic investment in renewable energy and grid connection. The region depends on hydroelectric power and remains disconnected from Pakistan's national grid, making it vulnerable during extreme weather. The NPAK agreement with the government offers hope for improvement, but transparent implementation and fair pricing will be essential to address residents' concerns about future tariffs.

12. Support Women's Entrepreneurship: Provide entrepreneurship training and credit access (Alam, 2025). Infrastructure development creates new business opportunities for women entrepreneurs, but requires supportive policies and training programmes.

Theme 4: AI Governance

13. Develop Ethical AI Frameworks: AI governance should align with UNESCO's Recommendation on the Ethics of AI (2021) (The Daily Star, 2025). This includes ensuring that AI applications benefit communities rather than exploiting them.

14. Protect Data Sovereignty: Implement protocols based on indigenous data sovereignty principles. AI models should be trained to respect and incorporate local knowledge rather than obscuring or misrepresenting it.

Theme 5: Family Harmony and Language Preservation

15. Create Intergenerational Programmes: Structured opportunities for elders and youth to share knowledge help bridge the gap. These programmes can foster mutual understanding and preserve traditional knowledge.

16. Support Language Revival Across Communities: Institutional support for all local languages-Burushaski, Wakhi, Shina, and Domaaki-through community classes, storytelling programmes, and language immersion can help preserve the region's linguistic diversity (Weinreich, 2010). Language preservation efforts should be inclusive and representative of all linguistic communities. Given that the Domaaki community has historically faced discrimination, efforts to preserve their language should address the underlying social factors that drive language shift.

17. Document Oral Traditions: The documentation of oral histories, traditional knowledge, and cultural practices across all language communities is essential for transmission to future generations.

18. Provide Youth Employment: Create local employment opportunities allowing youth to stay in the valley, keeping families together. As Khan, Leghari, and Pasha (2023) demonstrate, the disruption of traditional social structures has psychological consequences that can be mitigated through economic opportunity.

19. Integrate Mother Tongues in Early Education: Early childhood education should incorporate instruction in local languages to ensure children maintain fluency in their mother tongues while learning Urdu and English. This approach can help reverse language shift while ensuring children acquire the languages they need for broader participation in education and economic life.

Theme 6: For Diverse Dreams Readers

20. A Call to Action: For those from Hunza, documenting family stories is essential. Recording grandparents speaking mother tongues, writing down the names of places and the stories behind them, and keeping the thread alive are vital acts of cultural preservation. For visitors to Hunza, supporting local businesses, honouring customary land rights, and listening to the voices of the community are important responsibilities. For policy-makers, listening to the elders-who have governed this land for a thousand years-is crucial. They possess wisdom that cannot be found in any policy document.

9. CONCLUSION

Hunza's history demonstrates human endurance. For more than a thousand years, this valley has sustained civilisations, adapted to change, and maintained its distinctive character. The "broken thread" connecting past to present is frayed and tested, but it remains.

The evidence is clear: the dissolution of the princely state in 1974 occurred without a proper transition plan. Traditional customary laws were not properly documented, legalised, or given precedence and priority through legal or constitutional amendments, remaining in a state of chaos. A comprehensive survey of 390 households across Hunza and Nagar districts found that 59.2% of households experience land conflicts, while water, forest, and mineral conflicts affect 59.7%, 59.6%, and 57.9% of households respectively (Shah, 2025). Court cases remain pending for years, wasting time and resources and creating community tensions.

The 2025 Land Reforms Act represents a significant step forward. It abolishes the Khalisa Sarkar system and recognises shared lands as community property. However, concerns about implementation, bureaucratic control, and limited representation must be addressed (Dawn, 2025b). Approximately 50 per cent of the region has been excluded from the law's implementation, and critics argue that the act provides for the state to exercise colonial-style powers (Dawn, 2025c).

Climate change poses serious threats, with 23.11% of the Hunza district prone to landslides. The psychological toll of climate events is severe, with over half of affected populations meeting criteria for PTSD (Aaliya et al., 2025; International Mountain Conference, 2025). Energy crises disrupt daily life, and the generation gap threatens family harmony through language loss across multiple communities. The linguistic diversity of the region—encompassing Burushaski, Wakhi, Shina, and Domaaki-faces significant challenges, with some languages, particularly Domaaki, severely endangered (Weinreich, 2010; Endangered Languages Project, n.d.).

The path forward requires a fundamental shift in approach: customary laws must be given precedence and priority rather than experiencing new attempts to replace old traditions. These systems have governed communities for centuries, embodying accumulated wisdom and community consensus. They are more cost-effective, culturally appropriate, and sustainable than imported frameworks that may not understand local contexts. As the seminar in Nasirabad concluded, reconnecting with time-tested customary practices is essential for ensuring social harmony, environmental stewardship, and inclusive development in the region (The High Asia Herald, 2025; Pamir Times, 2025).

The resilience shown by Hunza over more than a thousand years gives hope. This valley has survived invasions, religious changes, colonial rule, and political dissolution. It has adapted while keeping the core of its identity-the languages, rituals, customary systems, and social solidarity that sustain communities. Recent discussions on customary laws suggest that there is a strong and growing consensus on the need to revitalise these indigenous governance systems for contemporary needs (The High Asia Herald, 2025).

This series was written because the ancestors-the ones who carved ibex on the Sacred Rock, who first brought Ismaili Islam to this valley, who survived colonial rule-deserve to be remembered. More than that, it was written for the children and for their children. The thread is not broken. It is frayed, stretched thin, but it remains. If communities listen to their elders, document their traditions, and demand justice for their lands, they will pass on a thread that is stronger than the one they received.

The answer lies in collective action. Education, institutional development, cultural revival, ethical AI governance, and most importantly, the recognition and strengthening of customary laws are connected parts of a single endeavour: strengthening the broken thread for future generations. The thread that connects those who carved images on the Sacred Rock to today's communities is not just historical interest-it is a living reality that continues to shape the spiritual, cultural, and political life of this remarkable region.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This series was written by an independent researcher and writer passionate about documenting the history, culture, and contemporary challenges of the Hunza Valley. The author's work focuses on the intersection of tradition and modernity, with a particular emphasis on governance, environmental sustainability, and cultural preservation. The Diverse Dreams blog serves as a platform for exploring these themes through rigorous research and human-centered storytelling.

READ THE COMPLETE SERIES

· Part I: Ancient spiritual traditions, Buddhist foundations, and the Sacred Rock of Hunza

· Part II: Arrival of Ismaili Islam and the Ayasho dynasty (874 CE)

· Part III: Political changes, British colonial rule, and the dissolution of the princely state (1974)

· Part IV: Opportunities, challenges, and the path forward (this paper)

End of Part IV