sea of master plan for gilgit city

Strategic Environmental Assessment of the

Master Plan for Gilgit City

The designation of geographical entities in this book and the presentation of the material do not imply theexpression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN concerning the legal status of any country,territory or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Published by:IUCN Pakistan (National Impact Assessment Programme)

Copyright:© 2014 Government of Pakistan and International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Master Plan for Gilgit City was prepared under the NationalImpact Assessment Programme (NIAP), a joint initiative of the Government of Pakistan and IUCN Pakistan,with the financial support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN).

Citation is encouraged. Reproduction and/or translation of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorised without prior written permission from IUCN Pakistan, provided thesource is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes isprohibited without prior written permission from IUCN Pakistan.

The opinions expressed in this document do not constitute an endorsement by the EKN.

Citation:Annandale, David D. and Hagler Bailly Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd. 2014. Strategic Environmental Assessment ofthe Master Plan for Gilgit City. Islamabad: IUCN Pakistan. 289 pp.

ISBN 978-969-643-003-2

Authors:David D. Annandale and and Hagler Bailly Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd

Technical Support:Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (NCEA)

Facilitation:Ahmad SaeedArfa Zaheer Azmat

Design:Azhar Saeed

Cover Photographs:IUCN Pakistan

Printed by:Wasa Printers (Pvt) Limited

Available from:IUCN PakistanNational Impact Assessment ProgrammeHouse No. 2, Street 83Embassy Road, G-6/4, IslamabadTel: +92 (51) 2271027-34Fax: +92 (51) 2271017www.niap.pk

1Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit City

1. Introduction 121.1 Objectives of the SEA 131.2 Scope of the SEA 131.3 SEA Study Area 161.4 Three Phases of the SEA 201.5 Structure of the SEA Report 20

2. Environmental Framework 222.1 Physical Environment 232.2 Ecological Baseline 332.3 Socioeconomic Environment of Gilgit 402.4 Environmental Values of Physical-Environment

Features in Gilgit 542.5 Environmental Values of Socioeconomic-

Environment Features 91

3. Conceptual Master Plan 1113.1 Objective of the CMP 1113.2 Scope of the CMP 1123.3 Design Parameters for the CMP 1123.4 Methodology 1143.5 Design Population and Cohort Analysis 1143.6 Development Strategies for the CMP 1303.7 Urban Spatial Options 1513.8 Preferred Land-Use and Development Strategy

for Gilgit 2025 1563.9 Avenues for Revenue Generation in Gilgit 178

4. Financial Sustainability Plan 1834.1 Objectives 1834.2 Scope 1834.3 Methodology 1844.4 Funding 1844.5 Water 1864.6 Solid-Waste Management 1884.7 Development of Housing Schemes and Roads 189

Table of Contents

2 Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit City

5. Institutional Framework for Implementing the CMP 1925.1 Objectives 1925.2 Scope 1935.3 Methodology 1935.4 The Framework 1945.5 Summary of the Discussion 209

6. References 212

Appendices:

Appendix A: Terms of Reference – Gilgit Phase II 216

Appendix B: Stakeholder Consultation 228

Appendix C: Species in Gilgit City 261

Appendix D: Institutional Analysis and Stakeholder Mapping 269


Exhibit 1.1: Location of Gilgit City 15

Exhibit 1.2: Comparison of Socioeconomic Indicators of GB

with the National Average 16

Exhibit 1.3: Gilgit City and Surroundings 17

Exhibit 1.4: Study Area of the SEA 18

Exhibit 1.5: Zoning of Gilgit City According to the Gilgit Master

Plan of 1977 19

Exhibit 1.6: Mozas in Gilgit City 21

Exhibit 2.1: Topography of Gilgit City and Surroundings 24

Exhibit 2.2: Mean Monthly Precipitation and Temperature in Gilgit

Averages from 1981-2010 25

Exhibit 2.3: Land-Use Map for Gilgit City 26

Exhibit 2.4: Land-Use Area in Gilgit City 26

Exhibit 2.5: Water Resources of Gilgit City 29

Exhibit 2.6: Water Channels in Gilgit City 30

Exhibit 2.7: Drainage in Gilgit 31

Exhibit 2.8: Natural Disasters in Gilgit District 32

Exhibit 2.9: Level of Risk from Natural Disasters to Different

Sources of Livelihood in Gilgit District 33

Exhibit 2.10: Protected Areas around Gilgit 37

Exhibit 2.11: Population of Danyor and Sakwar Regions in 1998 40

Exhibit 2.12: Demography of Gilgit City in 1998 40

Exhibit 2.13: Projected Demography of Gilgit City in 2018 40

Exhibit 2.14: Sectarian Demography in Gilgit City 41

Exhibit 2.15: Sources of Livelihood in Gilgit 42

Exhibit 2.16: Map Showing Transport Routes of Gilgit City with

Key Cities 43

Exhibit 2.17: Thoroughfares in Gilgit City 44

Exhibit 2.18: Narrow Alleyways in Gilgit City 45

Exhibit 2.19: Type and Number of Registered Vehicles in

Gilgit City 45

Exhibit 2.20: Photographs of Waste-Dump Sites in Gilgit 46

Exhibit 2.21: Waste-Collection and Disposal Points in Gilgit 48

Exhibit 2.22: Early Childhood Education (ECE) -

National and Provincial Profiles 49

Exhibits


Exhibit 2.23: Educational Facilities in Gilgit City 50

Exhibit 2.24: Spread of Health Facilities in Gilgit City 51

Exhibit 2.25: Recreational Spots in Gilgit 53

Exhibit 2.26: Agricultural Fields and Grazing Areas in Gilgit 55

Exhibit 2.27: Photographs of Agricultural Fields and Grazing

Areas in Different Parts of Gilgit in September 56

Exhibit 2.28: Photographs of Agricultural Fields and Grazing

Areas in Different Parts of Gilgit in December 59

Exhibit 2.29: Summary of the Environmental Values, Barriers to

Realization and Priority Interventions of Agricultural

Fields and Grazing Areas in Gilgit 63

Exhibit 2.30: Forests in Gilgit 65

Exhibit 2.31: Photographs of Forests in Gilgit 66


Realization and Priority Interventions of Forests

in Gilgit 68

Exhibit 2.33: The Gilgit and Hunza Rivers and the Riverbanks

in Gilgit 71

Exhibit 2.34: Photographs of the Gilgit and Hunza Rivers and

their Riverbanks 73


Realization and Priority Interventions of Gilgit and

Hunza Rivers and the Riverbanks in Gilgit 79

Exhibit 2.36: Nullahs in Gilgit 81

Exhibit 2.37: Photographs of Some of the Nullahs in Gilgit 83


Realization and Priority Interventions of Nullahs

in Gilgit 86

Exhibit 2.39: Photographs of Open-Air Waste Dumping and

Burning in Konudas 87


Realization and Priority Interventions of Air Quality

in Gilgit 91


Realization and Priority Interventions of

Multiculturalism in Gilgit 93

Exhibit 2.42: Scenes from Gilgit City Center 95


Exhibit 2.43: Gilgit City Center 97


Realization and Priority Interventions of Gilgit

City Centre 98

Exhibit 2.45: Thoroughfares in Gilgit 99

Exhibit 2.46: Photographs of Different Thoroughfares in Gilgit 100


Realization and Priority Interventions of

Thoroughfares in Gilgit 105

Exhibit 2.48: Cultural Heritage and Recreational Spots in Gilgit 107

Exhibit 2.49: Photographs of the Recreational and Heritage

Spots in the City 108


Realization and Priority Interventions of Cultural

Heritage and Parks in Gilgit 110

Exhibit 3.1: Design Parameters for the Conceptual Strategic

Master Plan 113

Exhibit 3.2: Population Count – Gilgit (1998 Census Data) 115

Exhibit 3.3: Population Growth 2011 116

Exhibit 3.4: Growth Rates for Gilgit District from 1981 to 2011

for Selected Years 116

Exhibit 3.5: Growth Rates for Base Year and Future Projections

of Gilgit’s Population 117

Exhibit 3.6: Population Projection of Gilgit-Rural

(Danyor and Sakwar) 118

Exhibit 3.7: Population Projection for Gilgit-Urban 118

Exhibit 3.8: Projected Population 2025 118

Exhibit 3.9: The Proportion of Inhabitants of Gilgit Belonging to

Different Sects 119

Exhibit 3.10: Settlements in Gilgit City Center Based on

Different Sects 120

Exhibit 3.11: Age Group 121

Exhibit 3.12: Gender Ratio in Gilgit City 121

Exhibit 3.13: Planned and Unplanned Parts of Gilgit 123

Exhibit 3.14: Land Use in Gilgit 124

Exhibit 3.15: Residential House Sizes (in Marla) in Gilgit 125

Exhibit 3.16: The Proportion of Employed and Unemployed

in Gilgit 125


Exhibit 3.17: Levels of Income (in Rs) and Sources of Living

in Gilgit 125

Exhibit 3.18: Projected Household Units in Gilgit in 2025 126

Exhibit 3.19: 1998 Household Figures 126

Exhibit 3.20: Area and Number of Household Units Required for

the 2025 CMP 126

Exhibit 3.21: Registered Vehicles in Gilgit 127

Exhibit 3.22: Modes of Travel in Gilgit 128

Exhibit 3.23: Education Facilities in Gilgit District in 2010–11 128

Exhibit 3.24: Projected Number of Students by Level of

Education - 2025 129

Exhibit 3.25: Health Services in Gilgit– 2010–11 129

Exhibit 3.26: Required Health Services by 2025 129

Exhibit 3.27: Agricultural Land and Grazing Areas in Gilgit 131

Exhibit 3.28: Good Agricultural Land Opposite Skarkui on the

Gilgit–Chitral Road 133

Exhibit 3.29: Construction on a Riverbank 133

Exhibit 3.30: Landslide Hazard Area Next to Skarkui Showing

Houses Constructed on Landslide Area 133

Exhibit 3.31: Under Construction Gilgit Baltistan Assembly

Building on a Barren Peri-Urban Site 135

Exhibit 3.32: View Towards Hunza River Showing Vacant,

Non-cultivable Area 135

Exhibit 3.33: Existing and Under Construction Power Stations 138

Exhibit 3.34: Urban Park Development: sand being taken from

riverbeds 140

Exhibit 3.35: Infrastructure Requirement (Based on 35 Gallons

per Day) (Water Supply and Solid Waste) 141

Exhibit 3.36: Infrastructure Requirement (Based on 50 Gallons

per Day) (Water Supply and Solid Waste) 141

Exhibit 3.37: Water Works (Tanks in Jutial Area) 141

Exhibit 3.38: Water Requirement Standards (Public Spaces) 143

Exhibit 3.39: Public Space Facility Requirement (Time Based) 143

Exhibit 3.40: Valves from the Water-storage Tanks 144

Exhibit 3.41: Mobile Water Bowsers in Gilgit 145

Exhibit 3.42: Municipal Solid Waste Generation (1998) 146

Exhibit 3.43: Area Where Solid-waste-disposal Tractors are

Parked 147


Exhibit 3.44: Nomal Road Side Walls changing route of river

streams 147

Exhibit 3.45: Mehnaz Fatima School. The Mehnaz Fatima School

for Children has an Enrollment of 450 Students 148

Exhibit 3.46: Educational Statistics Gilgit–Baltistan 149

Exhibit 3.47: Existing Educational Statistics 149

Exhibit 3.48: Proposed Strategic Concept Plan of Gilgit 153

Exhibit 3.49: Matrix Analysis of Spatial Options 154

Exhibit 3.50: Preferred Land-Use and Strategy Plan for

Gilgit 2025 155

Exhibit 3.51: Preferred Growth-Areas Plan for Gilgit 2025 157

Exhibit 3.52: Potential Hazard Zones within Gilgit 158

Exhibit 3.53: Existing Water Supply Complexes within Gilgit 159

Exhibit 3.54: Existing Health and Educational Facilities

within Gilgit 160

Exhibit 3.55: Conceptual Master Plan 2025 Recommendations 161

Exhibit 3.56: Benefits of the Preferred Scenario 162

Exhibit 3.57: Gilgit Existing Mozas/Administrative Boundaries 165

Exhibit 3.58: Greenfield Land in Barmas 166

Exhibit 3.59: Barren Land in and Around Old Jutial Nullah 167

Exhibit 3.60: Road Coming from KKH

(right-of-way is 40 feet wide) Showing Markers 167

Exhibit 3.61: Photograph Showing Danyor in Autumn 168

Exhibit 3.62: Area Available for Greenfield Development in

Various Mozas 169

Exhibit 3.63: Boys Playing on Barren Land at Naikoi, a

Peri-Urban Site 170

Exhibit 3.64: Danyor Area from Jutial Showing Barren Land and

Fertile Danyor Valley 170

Exhibit 3.65: Sakwar Barren Sites Greenfield Area. 171

Exhibit 3.66: Raja Bazaar Area Behind which is the Polo Ground 172

Exhibit 3.67: Waterlogged Area Outside Raja Bazaar 173

Exhibit 3.68: Dilapidated Condition of Buildings: No Character,

No Preservation Evident with Overhead Lines, No

Chinar Trees 174

Exhibit 3.69: Existing Recreational Areas / Spots – Danyor Rocks

images taken from

http://www.flickr.com/photos/edanial/10381270363/ 175


Exhibit 3.70: Potential for Scenic Bike Trails in Barmas 176

Exhibit 3.71: Kargah Buddha to be Conserved as a Tourist

Attraction 177

Exhibit 3.72: Area to be Opened Up as an Urban Square in Front

of Polo Ground 178

Exhibit 4.1: Annual Development Programme Procedure 185

Exhibit 5.1: Proposed Institutional Framework for Gilgit 210


ADB Asian Development BankAKDN Aga Khan Development NetworkAKPBS Aga Khan Planning and Building ServicesAPCC Annual Plan Coordination CommitteeAPSC Army Public School and CollegeBIS Bureau of Indian StatisticsCDA Capital Development AuthorityCMH Civil Military HospitalCMP Conceptual Master PlanDHQH District Headquarter HospitalECE Early Childhood EducationEF Environmental FrameworkEIA Environmental Impact AssessmentEV Environmental ValueEW Environment WingFAR Floor Area RatioFSP Financial Sustainability PlanFWO Frontier Works OrganizationGB Gilgit-BaltistanGBEPA Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection AgencyGBLA Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative AssemblyGCM Global Climate ModelGDA Gilgit Development AuthorityGIS Geographical Information SystemGLOF Glacial Lake Outburst FloodGoGB Government of Gilgit-BaltistanGoP Government of PakistanHBP Hagler Bailly Pakistan Pvt. Ltd.IF Institutional FrameworkIUCN International Union for Conservation of NatureKDA Karachi Development AuthorityKIU Karakoram International UniversityKKH Karakoram HighwayKPK Khyber PakhtunkhwaKW KilowattLDA Lahore Development Authority LPG Liquid Petroleum GasMC Municipal Corporation

List of Abbreviations


MoCC Ministry of Climate ChangeMSW Municipal Solid WasteMW MegawattNAPWD Northern Areas Public Works DepartmentNCEA Netherlands Commission for Environmental AssessmentNCP Non-Custom PaidNEQS National Environmental Quality StandardsNGO Non-Governmental OrganizationNIAP National Impact Assessment ProgrammeNLI Northern Light InfantryNSDWQ National Standards for Drinking Water QualityPA Protected AreaPakEPA Pakistan Environmental Protection AgencyPC Planning CommissionPCO Pakistan Census OrganizationPEPAC Pakistan Environmental Planning and Architectural

Consultants Ltd.PGR Population Growth RatePKR Pakistani RupeesPMD Pakistan Meteorological DepartmentPSDP Public Sector Development ProgrammePWD Public Works DepartmentSAA Sikander Ajam Associates Pvt. Ltd.ROW Right-of-WaySEA Strategic Environmental AssessmentSUPARCO Space and Upper Atmosphere Research CommissionToR Terms of ReferenceUNO United Nations OrganizationUNOPS United Nations Office for Project ServicesUSD United States DollarWASA Water and Sanitation AuthorityWASEP Water and Sanitation Extension ProgrammeWB World BankWCS Wildlife Conservation SocietyWSCC Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative CouncilWWF World Wildlife Fund


Adda Bus stand.Awami People’s property.Brownfield Site In the context of this report, brownfield sites are areas

or land with some form of infrastructure on them, suchas houses or roads.

Environmental Value In this report, an EV is defined as the flow of servicesthat the physical and socioeconomic features of Gilgitpresently provide and can provide in the future, ifadequately developed, and which are vital to the well-being of the inhabitants of the city.

Gilgit The boundaries of the city considered for the SEA arethose defined by the jurisdiction of the GDA. This is thesame area that would be affected by the future MasterPlan.

Greenfield Site In the context of this report, greenfield sites areagricultural or grazing areas in the city or on barrenland with no existing development.

Jalawan Nomads.Kachi Abadis Informal settlements.Knots A cluster of local dwellings.Katchi Also known as kuchha. Ramshakle houses constructed

of less-durable material, such as mud, bamboo, reedsor thatch.

Marla A traditional unit of area used in Pakistan. One marla isequal to 25.29 square meters.

Maund A measure of weight; approximately 40kg.Mohalla A cluster of residential dwellings.Moza Administrative subdivisions in Gilgit.Nullah A stream.Numberdar A local term used to designate the village headman in

different parts of Gilgit-Baltistan, also known as‘Lumbardar’ or ‘Tarangpa.’

Sabzi Mandi Vegetable and fruit market.Semi-pukka Houses built of a mix of construction materials used in

katchis and pukkas.

Glossary

12 Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit City12

The Government of Gilgit-Baltistan (GoGB) wishes to improve theinfrastructure and living standards of major towns in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB)province based on modern urban planning principles. To implement this vision,it established the Gilgit Development Authority (GDA) under Section 4 of theGilgit-Baltistan Development of Cities Act, on May 18, 2012. One of the GDA’sresponsibilities is the development of a Master Plan for Gilgit City (the ‘Plan’).Its purpose is to bring positive change in the quality of the lives of the city’sinhabitants.

The Plan would focus on the projected population growth in Gilgit and theexpected future demand for utility services, education, health, infrastructuredevelopment, tourism, disaster management, solid-waste management,housing and employment. Once approved and notified, the Plan will serve asthe basis for future urban development in the city. The following points outlinethe objectives of the Plan:l The Plan will focus on the sustainable development of Gilgit’s physical

and social infrastructure in order to achieve economic progress andincrease the living standards of inhabitants.

l Efforts will be made to preserve the rich cultural, ecological andenvironmental splendor of Gilgit by promoting awareness among itsinhabitants and by devising environmentally friendly developmentstrategies.

l Gilgit will enjoy financial sustainability, industrial development andeconomic progress. Land, water and energy resources will be optimizedto reduce waste and raise living standards in the city.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as part of itsNational Impact Assessment Programme (NIAP)1, acquired the services ofHagler Bailly Pakistan Pvt. Ltd (HBP), to be national consultants, and Dr. DavidAnnandale, an international strategic environmental assessment (SEA) expert,to carry out a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the Plan.

1. Introduction

1. Since November 2009, the Government of Pakistan (GoP) and the IUCN have jointly implemented theNational Impact Assessment Programme (NIAP) with the aim to contribute to sustainable development inPakistan. The government of Pakistan intends to do so by strengthening the Environmental ImpactAssessment (EIA) process and introducing SEAs in national development planning. The implementationpartners of the programme included the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (PakEPA); theEnvironment Wing (EW) of the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) and the GDA under the PlanningCommission of Pakistan (PC). Additionally, the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment(NCEA) had an advisory role in the project and provided technical advice.


1.1 Objectives of the SEAWork on the Plan had not started at the time theSEA was initiated. The SEA was thereforeconducted as an ex-ante exercise to provide anenvironmental and sustainability framework forthe future development of the Plan. It is hopedthat the results and recommendations of the SEAwill be integrated into the development of the Planand will contribute to the incorporation ofenvironmental considerations through all stagesof its future development.

Accordingly, the outcomes of the SEA include anEnvironmental Framework, a Conceptual MasterPlan (CMP), a Financial Sustainability Plan (FSP)and an Institutional Framework (IF). Based onthese outcomes, a set of draft Terms of Reference(ToRs) have also been prepared to assist the GDAin engaging consultants for the development ofthe future Plan (Appendix A).

The Conceptual Master Plan is based on anEnvironmental Framework (EF), which identifiesthe Environmental Values (EVs) of various physicaland socioeconomic-environmental features ofGilgit city (hereinafter referred to as ‘Gilgit’ or ‘thecity’). These EVs are considered critical for thewelfare and prosperity of the inhabitants of thecity and are therefore vital to the preservation andenhancement of any future development there. Adescription of the EVs is followed by a discussionon the different barriers to realization, which are,at present, hindering the different environmentaland socioeconomic features in the city fromfulfilling their environmental functions. Any futuredevelopment in the city must address thesebarriers and enhance the EVs of all the physicaland socioeconomic-environmental features of thecity. Therefore, a discussion on the EVs and thebarriers to realization of each of the environmentalfeatures ends by recommending priorityinterventions. These interventions are thefoundation around which the CMP is developed.While the CMP builds on the structural or town-planning aspects of the interventions for the city,the FSP and the IF build on the financial andinstitutional recommendations respectively.

The SEA, through the Environmental Framework,Conceptual Master Plan, the FinancialSustainability Plan and the InstitutionalFramework, aims to provide a clear, concise andmeasurable set of goals and objectives for futuredevelopment in Gilgit. It is hoped that the SEA willbecome a policy tool for the Gilgit DevelopmentAuthority and provide guidance to future masterplanners, the inhabitants of the city, and otherstakeholders in the future development, re-development and enhancement of the city. As apolicy document, the SEA can serve as aframework for residents and decision-makers toconceptualize how the city should look andfunction, in terms of residential and commercialzoning, development of parks, open spaces,trails, recreational facilities and the enhancementof tourism and culture.

1.2 Scope of the SEAThe recommendations in the CMP are designedto take into account growth within the city up tothe year 2025. The objectives of the CMP are toensure that future developments take Gilgittowards financial independence, empower localcommunities and enhance both the city’s physicaland socioeconomic environment. It is envisionedthat, as a capital of the newly formed autonomousprovince of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Gilgit shoulddevelop into an urban landmark that befits acapital city.

In developing the CMP (Section 3), the first stepwas to estimate the projected 2025 population ofthe city. This helped identify future socioeconomictrends, which were used to estimate the numberof households in the city by that year and thus thesize of the future demand for various urbanservices. These included the expected demandfor health and education facilities in the city andthe demand for residential, commercial,recreational and industrial space.

Along with the projected population, Gilgit’s newrole as a capital city would result in its increasedfuture trade linkages with other parts of GB and


Pakistan. A larger population would also result ingrowth in the retail market from a burgeoningtourist industry and growth in the city’s potentialof becoming a provincial center of highereducation.

Based on the different aspects mentioned above,the CMP provides a preferred strategy for urbangrowth, as it would cater to the demand fordifferent services by 2025 while preserving theEVs of the various physical and socioeconomic-environment features identified in the EF. Thepreferred strategy was determined after assessingthe different options for growth in the city.In the preferred strategy outlined in the CMP, theexisting transit corridors are considered while alsoproposing new transportation routes and inter-and intra-city bus links. The hierarchy of differentsizes of roads in different parts of the city is alsoestablished, with potential road-wideningschemes suggested for pedestrian and vehicularmovements. Sustainability issues in terms ofrecycling solid waste and sewerage systems werealso taken into account. A solid-waste distributionnetwork is also proposed.

The preferred strategy also looks into thepreservation of existing agricultural lands and thedevelopment of more opportunities forsubsistence agriculture in the city. Land coverageof forest will also be increased to enhancebiodiversity. In future, the city will require greenareas to act as its ‘lungs’ to counter emissionsfrom future industrial growth. Gilgit, being themain urban area within the newly formedautonomous province, will require administrativeand civic areas to be defined in any future cityexpansion.

The promotion of the tourism sector is a majorpriority of the preferred strategy for future growth.The existing growth pattern adversely impacts thenatural beauty of the city and its surroundings.The preferred strategy for growth, therefore,provides opportunities for development, which atthe same time also protect the aesthetic featuresof the city. It also considers the preservation of

archeological sites and the development ofvarious recreational parks along the riverbanksand nullahs.

Sectarian conflicts in Gilgit are a source ofconstant tension in the city. Recent acts ofviolence have marred its peaceful image. This hasadversely affected the tourism industry there andalso in the province in general. The preferredstrategy for growth, therefore, also takes intoaccount ways and means to promote inter-communal harmony in Gilgit.

Vision, imagination and urban-planning-designskills are the necessary key ingredients for thefuture development of Gilgit. The strategies forgrowth and development in the CMP cater to therising expectations and demands of the moderneconomy while safeguarding the environment andheritage.

The SEA, through the Financial Stability Plan, alsointroduces the concept of financial sustainabilityas part of the town planning process for Gilgit.Government organizations in Gilgit, including theGilgit Development Authority (GDA), the GilgitMunicipal Corporation (MC) and the Water andSanitation Authority (WASA) are the institutionalbodies engaged in the maintenance of basicutilities, such as water supply and seweragemanagement, solid-waste management andinfrastructure management. The FSP, introducedin Section 4, therefore provides general guidelinesto these bodies that will enable them toimplement the CMP strategies. The FSP willcalculate the approximate capital and operationalcosts of the provision of basic utilities in Gilgit andwill identify the revenue-generation potentialavailable in the city.

The role of the city administration will remainpivotal in the effective implementation of the CMP.Therefore, Section 5 proposes a framework forthe roles and responsibilities of the institutions inGilgit involved in the development of the city.Government organizations in Gilgit, including theGDA, the Gilgit MC, the GBEPA, and the Forest,


Exhibit 1.1: Location of Gilgit City


Exhibit 1.2: Comparison of Socioeconomic Indicators of GB with the National Average3Indicator Gilgit Baltistan National

Per Capita Income (USD): 350 1046

Literacy Rate (%): 38 56

Health Care:4 1 : 4100 1: 1212

Maternal Mortality Rate:5 600 / 100,000 272 / 100,000

Population Density (persons per sq. km): 12 166

2. Population Census Organization, Government of Pakistan. (1998). District Census Report of Gilgit. Islamabad: Population Census Organization,Statistics Division.

3. Government of Pakistan. (2009-2010). Pakistan Economic Survey. Ministry of Finance.

4. The Health Care Services ratio indicates the availability of medical resources to the population. A ratio of 1:100 implies that, in a given area, 1

person out of 100 residents has access to medical resources.

5. The Maternal Mortality Rate provides the annual number of female deaths per 100,000 live births from any cause related to a pregnancy in a

given population sample.

6. S.Qutub, Ayub.1977. Gilgit Master Plan, Pakistan Environmental Planning and Architectural consultants.

Wildlife and Environment Department are theinstitutional bodies addressed in this section. Theframework provides general guidelines that willassist these institutions to address therecommendations of the CMP related to thefollowing:l Water rights, distribution and quality;l Land-use zoning and development;l Buildings and infrastructure development;l Roads, public streets and traffic management;l Encroachment control;l Drainage network;l Solid-waste management; and,l Protection of forests and Protected Areas

(PAs).

1.3 SEA Study AreaGilgit is the capital city of the province of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), which is located in northernPakistan. In September 2009, the Northern AreasAdministration—controlled directly by the FederalGovernment in Islamabad—was renamed theGovernment of Gilgit-Baltistan (GoGB) and theaffairs of the province were transferred from thecenter to the province. GB has a total area of72,496 km2 and is divided into seven districts;Gilgit is located in the Gilgit District (Exhibit 1.1).The population density of the province is 14persons per square kilometer.2 It has immensehydropower-generation potential on account of its

mountainous terrain and hydrological featureswith five major rivers, including the Indus, whichruns through it. It also has an important geo-political location being the only viable road linkbetween Pakistan and China. Exhibit 1.2 providesa comparison of socioeconomic indicators of GBwith the national averages of Pakistan. GB is oneof the most under-developed regions of thecountry.

The focus of the SEA, however, is the city of Gilgit(Exhibit 1.3). The boundaries of the cityconsidered for the SEA are those defined by thejurisdiction of the Gilgit District Authority. This isthe same area that would be affected by thefuture Plan. Hence, the ‘Study Area’ for the SEA isthe entire city, as illustrated in Exhibit 1.4. TheSEA, however, also took into account, whererelevant, known wildlife sanctuaries, communityhunting areas, conservation areas, game reservesand river catchments surrounding Gilgit that maybe affected by future developments in the city.The Study Area of the SEA, therefore, iscomprised of two parts:

I. A mix of seven zones identified by the 1977Gilgit Master Plan.6 Exhibit 1.5 illustrates theseven zones, which are listed as follows:- Town Nucleus: Gilgit’s administrative,

political and educational hub.

17Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 1.3: Gilgit City and Surroundings


Exhibit 1.4: Study Area of the SEA

19Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 1.5: Zoning of Gilgit City according to the Gilgit Master Plan of 1977

- Transition Zone: an area with agriculturalland and small villages where subsistencefarming takes place.

- Konudas Plateau: a rocky, infertile, narrowstrip of land.

- Gujardas: a rocky, infertile, narrow strip ofland.

- Jutial: a barren plateau.- Basin: an agrarian area with small land

holdings next to the Gilgit River.- Danyor Plain: a rural periphery comprising

mainly of agricultural, pastoral andriverside flood plains.

II. The administrative divisions, locally known as‘Mozas’, of Sakwar, Minawar andMohammadabad, are relatively less denselypopulated areas on the east and southeasternperiphery of the city. These comprise mainlyof agricultural and pastoral plains. All themozas in the city are illustrated together on amap in Exhibit 1.6.

1.4 Three Phases of the SEAThe Strategic Environmental Assessment wasconducted in three phases. The activities in Phase1 were designed to help develop theEnvironmental Framework by identifying existingphysical and socioeconomic-environmentalfeatures of Gilgit. For this purpose, stakeholderconsultations and site visits were conducted byHagler Bailly Pakistan Pvt. Ltd. (HBP) from 16 to18 September, 2013, accompanied byrepresentatives from the Gilgit DevelopmentAuthority (GDA), the Environmental ProtectionAgency of Gilgit-Baltistan (GBEPA) and theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN). Those consulted included governmentofficials, secretaries, ministers andrepresentatives of NGOs active in the city (pleasesee Appendix B for a complete report on

stakeholder consultations).The focus of Phase 2 activities was thedevelopment of the CMP based on the EFdeveloped at the end of Phase 1. For thispurpose, the HBP team undertook another fieldvisit on 11 to 14th December 2013. The HBPteam was also accompanied by Mr. SikanderAjam, a town-planning expert from Sikander AjamAssociates Pvt. Ltd (SAA). Along with theConceptual Master Plan, the FinancialSustainability Plan and Institutional Frameworkwere also developed during this phase.

Phase 3 was designed to provide an opportunityfor all concerned stakeholders in Gilgit toinfluence the SEA recommendations by reviewingand providing feedback on the draft outcomes ofthe CMP, the FSP and the IF. The draft outcomesdeveloped at the end of Phase 2 were finalized inPhase 3 and were based on the feedbackreceived from the stakeholders and commentsshared by them during a consultation workshoporganized in Gilgit, on May 5, 2014. Also preparedat the end of this phase were draft Terms ofReference (ToRs) for the GDA to engageconsultants for developing the Plan in the future.

1.5 Structure of the SEA ReportThis SEA report is organized according to thefollowing structure:

Section 1 – Introduction

Section 2 – Environmental Framework

Section 3 – Conceptual Master Plan

Section 4 – Financial Sustainability Framework

Section 5 – Institutional Framework


21Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 1.6: Mozas in Gilgit City


This section describes the existing physical environment and socioeconomic

status of Gilgit. An environmental framework is developed based on these and

highlights the Environmental Values (EVs) of various physical and

socioeconomic-environmental features of Gilgit. These EVs are considered

critical for the welfare and prosperity of the inhabitants of the city and,

therefore, vital to the preservation of any future developments there. The

information compiled in this section was collected from a variety of primary

and secondary sources, including data collected during site visits by HBP. A

list of references is provided at the end of this report.

Section 2.1 describes the topography, climate, land use, water resources, and

air quality of the city. Section 2.2 describes the ecology of the city, with a

discussion on mammals, birds, vegetation, herpetofauna, fish and protected

areas in and around it. Section 2.3 describes the socioeconomic status of the

city’s inhabitants and provides estimates of population growth, waste

generation and power demand. It also highlights the link between the city’s

environmental features and the socioeconomic conditions of its inhabitants. In

this report, an EV is defined as the flow of services the physical and

socioeconomic features of Gilgit presently provide and can provide in the

future, if adequately developed, and which are vital to the well-being of the

inhabitants of the city.

Based on the EVs, Sections 2.4 and 2.5, respectively, describe an

environmental framework for the environmental features of Gilgit, grouped into

the following physical and socioeconomic-environment categories:

l Physical-Environment Features

- Agricultural Fields and Grazing Areas

- Forests

- The Gilgit and Hunza Rivers and their riverbanks

- The Nullahs

- Gilgit’s Air Quality

2. Environmental Framework

l Socioeconomic-Environment Features

- Multiculturalism in the city

- The City Center

- Thoroughfares in the city

- Cultural Heritage and Recreational Areas

The EVs of each of these features are identified

and discussed in detail in Sections 2.4 and 2.5.

Examples of some of the EVs include the

provision of clean drinking water, the provision of

local agricultural produce and the potential to

attract tourism. These would lead to the

diversification of Gilgit’s economy; improved

health and wellbeing of its inhabitants; the

enhancement of community harmony, and the

promotion of tourism.

A description of the EVs is followed by a

discussion on the different barriers to realization,

which are, at present, hindering the city’s different

environmental and socioeconomic features from

fulfilling their environmental functions. Any future

development in the city must address these

barriers and enhance the EVs of all its physical

and socioeconomic-environmental features.

Consequently, a discussion on the EVs and the

potential barriers associated with each of the

city’s environmental features ends by

recommending priority interventions. These

interventions are the foundation around which the

CMP is developed, as discussed in Section 3.

While the CMP builds on the structural, or town-

planning, aspects of the interventions for the city,

the FSP (Section 4) and the IF (Section 5) build on

the financial and institutional recommendations

respectively.

2.1 Physical Environment

Gilgit is located in a valley surrounded by

mountains. The general elevation of the city is

around 1,500 meters (m) and it is a semi-arid

region that receives little annual precipitation.

2.1.1 Topography

Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) is home to three mountain

ranges: the Himalayas, the Karakoram, and the

Hindu Kush. Most elevations in the province are

at least 1,500 m above sea level, with more than

half the area above 4,500 m. Three of the world’s

highest peaks, K2; Nanga Parbat; and Rakaposhi,

are located in this province. Gilgit is located at

the foothills of the Karakoram Mountains, roughly

at the junction between the three mountain

ranges. The average altitude of the city is 1,500 ft.

Gilgit is surrounded by steep mountains with little

or no vegetative cover. It lies at the intersection of

the Gilgit and Hunza Rivers at a place locally

known as Duo Pani. It is surrounded by peaks

that range from 1,600 m to 2,000 m on either side

of the valley. The topography effectively cuts off

the entire province from Pakistan’s mainland and,

therefore, creates geographical barriers that affect

economic and administrative processes in GB.

Exhibit 2.1 illustrates the mountainous terrain

around the city.



Exhibit 2.1: Topography of Gilgit City and Surroundings


2.1.2 ClimateThe dominant weather of the city is winter, whichlasts eight to nine months a year. Gilgit District issurrounded by glaciers that are receding due tothe rising temperatures that are consistent withglobal warming. River flow can, therefore, behighly variable and pose threats to the stability oflandscapes especially in the vicinity of streams.Future temperature projections by Global ClimateModels (GCMs) suggest that the temperature inGilgit may become 7°C higher than the presentlevel by the end of the 21st century.8

According to GDA officials, two decades agothere were no air conditioners or electric fans inhouses and public and private buildings in GB.Now, these amenities are seen as a necessityduring summer, as the day temperatures exceed40°C sometimes for more than 10 consecutivedays. The average high temperature is 36.1°C insummer and the average low temperature is-2.7°C in winter. Recent studies9 conducted onclimate change and impact assessment show thata significant warming trend has been noticed inGB during the last two decades. This has affectedthe socioeconomic conditions of the population interms of the increased costs of cooling andproviding a water supply for domestic use and forirrigation.

Snowfall shuts down trade routes to China formore than three months each year. About 40% of

all flights between Gilgit and Islamabad werecancelled in 2009 on account of bad weatherconditions.10 Northern monsoons bring torrentialrains, which result in landslides, floods and higherwater turbidity in rivers.11 Nevertheless, the mildweather during summer tends to be a source ofattraction for tourists from across Pakistan.Exhibit 2.2 lists the mean monthly temperaturesand precipitation in Gilgit, averaged over a periodof 19 years from 1981 to 2010.

2.1.3 Land UseExhibit 2.3 illustrates a land-use map for Gilgit,based on the data provided by the GDA. Exhibit2.4 provides the proportion of areas covered bydifferent uses. This section describes land-usefeatures in Gilgit by dividing the city into sevenzones according to the Gilgit Master Plan of1977.14 Exhibit 1.5 illustrates the zones, which areas follows:l Town Nucleusl Transition Zonel Konudas Plateaul Gujardasl Danyor Plainl Jutiall Basin

The city is spread longitudinally along thenorthern and southern banks of the Gilgit River.The southern bank of the river mainly contains thehistoric city center with commercial areas,

8. Pakistan Meteorological Department. (2013). Technical Report on Climate Change in Pakistan. Islamabad: GoP

9. Pakistan Meteorological Department. (2009). Climate Change Indicators in Pakistan. Islamabad: PMD.

10. The World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Government of Pakistan. (2010). Gilgit Baltistan Economic Report-Broadening the Transformation.

WB, ADB, GoP.

11. Pakistan Urban Observatory. (2011). City Profile - Gilgit. Retrieved November 20, 2013, from Urban UN-Habitat:

http://urban.unhabitat.org.pk/Region/GilgitBaltistan/Gilgit.aspx

12. Pakistan Meteorological Department. (2013). Technical Report on Climate Change in Pakistan. Islamabad: GoP

13. This figure represents the maximum recorded precipitation over a 24-hour period.

14. Pakistan Environmental Planning and Architectural Consultants Limited (1977). Gilgit Master Plan.

Exhibit 2.2: Mean Monthly Precipitation and Temperature in Gilgit averaged from 1981-201012Parameter Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Extreme

Max Temp (°C): 9.3 12.0 17.9 23.9 28.4 34.3 36.1 35.3 31.6 25.3 17.8 11.0 45.0

Min Temp (°C): -2.7 0.2 5.4 9.4 11.7 15.2 18.8 18.1 12.7 6.6 .0.6 -2.4 -11.1

Precipitation (inches) 3.9 6.6 12.1 25.5 25.2 11.8 14.7 15.6 8.6 6.8 3.1 6.3 54.613

26

administrative buildings, an airport, bus stands,historic settlements, open recreation areas and apolo ground. The north bank of the river is fed bythe Konudas Nullah and has an administrativecore called Konudas. There is a settlement in thisregion called Mujahid Colony and the newlyconstructed Karakoram International University(KIU) is also located on this side of the city.

Most of the land in Gilgit is privately owned.15

Land settlements are of two types: formal and

informal. Informal settlements are also known asKachi Abadis. Such settlements have no land orwater rights. Although there are few suchsettlements in Gilgit, their lack of available waterresources is a major concern.16

Land prices near the airport and the city nucleus,shown in Exhibit 2.3, are relatively highercompared to the rest of the city. One kanal(505 m2) of land in Jutial costs approximatelyRs. 5,000,000 (US$ 46,510).17

Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit City



16. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP from 16 September to 18 September 2013. This was to take the key stakeholders

in Gilgit City on board with the SEA of the Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholders

involved government officials, secretaries, ministers and representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.

17. Ibid.

Exhibit 2.3: Land-Use Map for Gilgit City

Exhibit 2.4: Land-Use Area in Gilgit CityLand Use (km2) Area (%)

Agricultural Area: 21.2 22

Commercial Area: 1.0 1

Residential Area: 9.4 10

Forest Cover: 3.8 4

Vacant Land: 23.8 24

Total; 97.9 100




19. There are three general classes of housing in Pakistan: pukka houses, built of substantial material such as stone, brick, cement, concrete, or

timber; katchi (or kuchha [“ramshackle”]) houses, constructed of less-durable material (e.g., mud, bamboo, reeds, or thatch); and semi-pukka

houses, whose construction materials are a mix of the two.

"Housing." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.

<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/438805/Pakistan/276147/Housing>.



21. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP from 16 September to 18 September 2013. This was to take the key stakeholders

in Gilgit City on board with the SEA of the Gilgit City Master Plan and obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholders involved

government officials, secretaries, ministers and representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.



23. Ibid.

24. Environmental Protection Agency-Gilgit-Baltistan. (2013). Environmental Profile of Gilgit-Baltistan. Gilgit: EPA-GB.

25. Observation has been made using the Land Use Map shown in Exhibit 2.3.

26. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, .UN-Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.

Residential AreasThe total number of residential buildings in thecity, based on an average per-household size ofeight persons, is approximately 11,546.18 In Gilgit,60%of the houses are semi-pukka19, 35%percentare pukka, while the remaining 5% are kuchha.Three percent of the population lives in two-storeybuildings.20 Residences are usually constructedusing earth, wood and soil stones. The poorconstruction standards are used when buildinghouses makes them prone to natural hazards.However, in new developments around the city,cement and bricks are now being used.21

Residential land in Gilgit has been expandingirregularly since 1947.

Average residential plot sizes vary from 10 marlas(250 m2) to two kanals (1,010 m2). Some plotsstretch from three kanals (1,515 m2) to five kanals(2,525 m2). Their haphazard demarcations hinderthe construction of roads, the provision ofelectricity, and also drainage and water suppliesin the area.22 Most alleyways are so narrow onlypedestrians can pass through them. Clusters ofresidential dwellings, known as mohallahs orkhots in the local language, are situated nearwatercourses because of easy access to water.23

Commercial AreasThe intersection of Shaheed-e-Millat and RajaBazaar Roads is taken as the center or nucleus of

Gilgit (Exhibit 2.3). This is the main commercialhub of the city. Shops sell kitchen goods, textiles,shoes, crockery, travel bags and souvenirs.Vendors with handcarts selling jewelry, textiles,bags and shoes are sometimes seen onroadsides.

The Northern Light Infantry Regiment (NLI) Marketis another important commercial area of the city.Shops in this area sell jewelry, textiles, bags,shoes, gems and crockery. Most of the goods atthe NLI Market are imported from China. On thesouth node of the city, the Jamat Khana Bazaarsells items for daily use, along with bakeryproducts, fresh fruits, vegetables and meat.

Agricultural AreasOnly 2% of total land area in all of GB is arable.24

In Gilgit, agriculture accounts for 23% of theresidents’ total livelihood.25 Irrigation is donethrough manmade drains and river water.Agricultural products in the area includevegetables, fruits, dry fruits and fodder. Accordingto Exhibit 2.4, almost 22%, or 21.8 sq km, of thetotal city area is covered by agricultural fields. Sitevisits by HBP team members revealed thatfarmers are still using traditional ploughing andharvesting methods. A large amount of fruit getswasted due to improper packaging andinadequate modes of transporting goods todistant markets.26 In recent years, the proportion


of agricultural land has been decreasing due toencroachment by the commercial and privatesectors.27

2.1.4 Water Supply and DrainageGilgit’s sources of water supply include lakes,springs, reservoirs and ground water. Glacial meltis the primary source of water supply. Glacialwater flows in the form of nullahs,28 whicheventually discharge into the Gilgit River. The keynullahs in and around the city are Jutial, Konudas,Kargah and Danyor. Jutial Nullah provides the citywith most of its irrigation and drinking water.29

The Gilgit and Hunza Rivers and the key nullahsof Gilgit are shown in Exhibit 2.5. Photographs ofthe Gilgit River and the Kargah Nullah are shownin Exhibit 2.6.

The Gilgit River flows through Gilgit from west toeast. The Hunza River flows from the north andjoins the Gilgit River at the Duo Pani: the Gilgit-Hunza confluence occurs near KarakorumInternational University (KIU). River flow is highestfrom July to September when snow melts in themountains. Torrential rains result in landslides,heavy flooding and high turbidity in river water.Irrigation is dependent on river water and glacialmelts.30

Five drinking-water supply complexes exist in thesouth of Gilgit and are recharged by two waterchannels.31 This system of water-supplycomplexes was built in the late 1970s to meet thedemands of the time and they are still currently inuse by the city residents . Exhibit 2.5 indicates thelocation of these complexes. Their names andlocations are as follows:

l Burmus Water Supply Complex, MajniMohalla, Gilgit

l Jutial Water Lift System, Sonikotl Jutial Lift Water Supply Complex, Zulfiqar

Colonyl Water Supply Complex Danyor Chikas,

Choke Areal Gilgit Filtration Plants – Army Public School

and College (APSC) Filtration Plant andDistrict Headquarter Hospital (DHQH)Filtration Plant

The existing water supply system is comprised ofthe above five water complexes and supplies 67liters (l) of water per capita per day.32 Asocioeconomic survey of Gilgit conducted by theGovernment of Pakistan, in 1994, indicates that92% of the households in the city have access toa piped water-supply system.33 Households insome parts of the city make use of wells due tothe unreliability of the water-supply systemthere.34 Ground-water quality in Gilgit is betterthan surface-water quality.35 The existing pipewater-distribution network, however, does notsupply adequate pressure for the required amountof water. In some areas, the pipes are in adamaged condition due to rusting. And in otherareas, at higher altitudes in the city, pipes areregularly damaged by the expansion of frozenwater during the winter.36

The water-storage and distribution capacity of thewater-supply complexes at present is inadequatein meeting the city’s existing water demand. Theexpansion of the existing system is problematicdue to the lack of available space and the paucityof financial resources. A survey conducted by the

27. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP from 16 September to 18 September 2013. This was to take the key stakeholdersin Gilgit City on board with the SEA of the Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholdersinvolved government officials, secretaries, ministers and representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.

28. A Nullah (pl. Nullahs) is a small and narrow watercourse/stream. 29. Pakistan Urban Observatory. (2011). City Profile - Gilgit. Retrieved November 20, 2013, from Urban UN-Habitat:

http://urban.unhabitat.org.pk/Region/GilgitBaltistan/Gilgit.aspx30. Ibid.31. Ibid.32. Raza, H. (2003). Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development Background Paper: IUCN Pakistan, Northern Areas Programme, Gilgit.

x+38 pp.33. Ibid.34. Ibid.35. Haider Raza, M. H. (1998). Seasonal Investigation of Drinking Water Quality. Sanitation and Water for All (pp. 357-360). Islamabad: 24th WEDC

Conference.36. Raza, H. (2003). Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development Background Paper: IUCN Pakistan, Northern Areas Programme, Gilgit.

x+38 pp.

29Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 2.5: W

ater Resources of Gilgit City


IUCN indicates that the present storage capacityof all of the water supply complexes is around 15times less than the actual demand.37

According to data from the District HeadquarterHospital, in Gilgit, in 1999, more than 60% ofreported illnesses were related to poor water andsanitation conditions. In a survey conducted by theWater and Sanitation Extension Programme(WASEP), in 199938, all five water complexes in Gilgitwere found to be highly contaminated with fecalmatter. Water in the channels was also found to becontaminated by activities such as the washing ofclothes and utensils. Water-treatment plants do notexist in the city. Water channels are de-silted andrepaired by villagers on a self-help basis.

DrainageThe Northern Areas Public Works Department(NAPWD) has constructed a network of roadsidesanitary drains for Gilgit. The Frontier WorksOrganization (FWO) has also constructed similardrains along the Karakoram Highway (KKH).39

These drains are constructed for the collection ofstorm water and are not meant for municipal greywater. Existing drains along roadsides do nothave the capacity to adequately capture the largervolumes of storm water that occur during therainy seasons. The kuchha and pukka householddrains in the mohallas and residential colonies areconstructed on a self-help basis.

37. Ibid.38. Ibid.39. Pakistan Urban Observatory. (2011). City Profile - Gilgit. Retrieved November 20, 2013, from Urban UN-Habitat:


Exhibit 2.6: Water Channels in Gilgit City

View of Gilgit River View of Kargah Nullah


During HBP’s site visits, instances of drainblockages and clogging due to garbage dumpingand improper maintenance were a regular sight.Exhibit 2.7 provides an illustration of some of thedrains in residential and commercial areas ofGilgit.

Drainage water is mostly used for irrigation. Theexcess is released in an untreated state into theGilgit and Hunza Rivers. The two main nullahs arealso the primary sources of water supply in thecity, the Jutial Nullah and the Konudas Nullah, butthe unchecked dumping of waste into thesenullahs by city residents has led tocontamination.40

Poor drainage in Gilgit results in high water tablesin areas situated at the tail end of the city, such asKashrot, Majni Mohallah, Amphrey and theAirport. The water table is creating problems forbuilding and construction projects in theseareas.41

2.1.5 Air and NoiseThe IUCN, along with the Space and UpperAtmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO)42

conducted an air-quality survey, in Gilgit, in1998.43 According to the survey, the air quality inGilgit is relatively better than that of the maincities of Pakistan, especially Islamabad, Lahoreand Karachi. However, the survey also reported

Exhibit 2.7: Drainage in Gilgit

Drain passing through a residential area in Gilgit Drain in a commercial area of Gilgit

40. Ibid.41. Raza, H. (2003). Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development Background Paper: IUCN Pakistan, Northern Areas Programme, Gilgit.

x+38 pp.42. SUPARCO is Pakistan’s national space agency mandated to conduct research and development in space science and space technology. It

works towards developing indigenous capabilities in space technology and promoting space applications for the socioeconomic uplift of thecountry. www.suparco.gov.pk

43. Raza, H. (2003). Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development Background Paper: IUCN Pakistan, Northern Areas Programme, Gilgit.x+38 pp.

32

that burning waste in open air, excessivedeforestation, and traffic pollution is leading tohigher levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxideand sulfur oxidesin the atmosphere. During a sitevisit by the HBP team, in September 2013, localwomen reported an increase in respiratoryillnesses and skin allergies among children andpregnant women.

Noise does not pose a serious problem in Gilgit,due to the lack of industrial areas in the city. Majornoise sources include general traffic, constructionmachinery and tractors. In the future, however,noise pollution may be aggravated as trade routesexpand around residential areas.

2.1.6 ForestsForests cover four percent of the total land inGilgit44. More information on vegetation in the citycan be found in Section 2.2.1.

Winter is the dominant season in Gilgit. As the cityfaces regular power shortages, residents dependon wood and timber to keep their houses warm.Forests are, therefore, an essential source of fuelfor the city. This results in massive deforestationin the area, which leads to the loss of species andecological disintegration, as well as soil erosionand loss of soil fertility.45

2.1.7 Natural HazardsGilgit and its surrounding valleys are highlysusceptible to natural disasters such aslandslides, flash floods and avalanches, whichaffect civic life in the city and areas within itsvicinity. According to the Pakistan MeteorologicalDepartment (PMD), Gilgit is located in aseismically active zone with a shake potentialequivalent to an earthquake of magnitude 6 to 7on the Richter scale.

A recent example of the types of natural hazardsfacing Gilgit is the Ata Abad Lake, which formeddue to a massive landslide in 2010 and dammedthe Hunza River. The unstable lake poses a threatto the downstream populations of Gilgit andOshkan Das.46 Exhibit 2.8 categorizes naturaldisasters according to their frequency ofoccurrence in Gilgit District. Exhibit 2.9 indicatesthe percentage of the population in Gilgit District,engaged in different sources of livelihood, at riskfrom natural disasters. More than 90% ofinhabitants engaged in agriculture and 70% inlivestock are likely to be highly affected by naturaldisasters there. With agriculture making up 23%of the source of livelihood for Gilgit’s inhabitants,the economy of the city is at a significant risk ofbeing adversely affected by natural disasters.


44. Information is taken from the Land use map for Gilgit (Exhibit 3.3) developed by the GDA.45. Ross W. Gorte, P. A. (2010). Deforestation and Climate Change. Congressional Research Service, Washington, USA.46. Calligaris, C. M. (2010). Executive summary on Attabad landslide survey in Hunza. Ev-K2-CNR, pp 1-20.47. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, .UN-Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.

Exhibit 2.8: Natural Disasters in Gilgit District47Type of Disaster Gilgit District

Occurrence Risk

High Medium Low

Earthquake: No

Landslide/Rock Fall/Mudflow: Yes

Glacial Movement/Avalanche: Yes

Flash Flood/Riverine Flood: Yes

Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) No

Snow Storm: Yes

Wind Storm: Yes

Lightening: Yes

Drought: Yes

Epidemic: Yes

Road Accident: Yes

Wild Fire: No

Ethnic and Sectarian Violence: Yes


2.2 Ecological BaselineGilgit is located in a river valley in the southwestof the Karakoram Range. The climate is arid, asmonsoon systems break against the southernslopes of Himalayas, about 150 km south ofGilgit, and the average annual rainfall ranges from120 to 240 millimeters (4.7 to 9.4 inches).Agriculture depends on water that is diverted frommountain streams and rivers fed by snow melt athigher altitudes. More information on Gilgit’sclimate can be found in Section 2.1.2. Thebiodiversity of Gilgit and its surroundings isadapted to these extreme variations in climaticand geographical conditions.

The city is urban and largely a degraded habitat.However, the hills in the vicinity of the city and theadjacent valleys, particularly the forests in theKargah and Jutial Valleys, provide habitat forfaunal species, including mammals, birds andherpetofauna. The Gilgit and Hunza Rivers andthe smaller nullahs contain both endemic andexotic fish species. A list of the flora and faunareported from the city is given in Appendix C.

2.2.1 VegetationThe vegetation in the city falls in the Dry Sub-

Tropical Scrub Zone and Dry TemperateConiferous Forest Zone. The former is located atlower elevations and southern slopes ofmountains especially along the Gilgit and HunzaRivers. The latter consists of forests found in theinner or northerly slopes of the Himalayas, whichare less susceptible to monsoons. The drytemperate coniferous forests occur betweenelevations of 1,500 to 3,400 meters. These forestsare characterized by fewer deciduous treespecies, although coniferous speciespredominate.

Forests occur in the valleys, including the Naltarand Bagrot Valleys and also in the vicinity of theJutial Nullah. Typical tree species in these forestsinclude Picea smithiana, Cedrus deodara andPinus willichiana. Smaller shrubs include Quercusilex and Junglus regia and scattered shrubs ofArtimesia maritima, Ephedra intermedia,Indigofera gerardiana, Sambucus ebulus, Sorbariatomentosa, and Plectranthus rugosus. Theseforests not only provide habitat for faunal speciesbut also provide timber the locals use fordomestic and commercial purposes.49

48. Ibid.49. Sheikh, M. I. & M. Hafeez. 1977. Forests and Forestry in Pakistan. Pakistan Forest Institute, Peshawar.

Exhibit 2.9: Level of Risk from Natural Disasters to different Sources of Livelihood in Gilgit District48

34

2.2.2 MammalsMammals reported in and around the outskirts ofthe city include members from the family ofVespertilionidae, Canidae, Felidae, Sciuridae,Muridae and Mustelidae. Large mammals, suchas the Snow Leopard Panthera uncia, CommonLeopard Panthera pardus, Wolf Canis lupus, andRed Fox Vulpes vulpes, have been reported in thehills surrounding the city. In addition, smallmammals, such as bats and rodents, have beenreported from inside the city limits.50

Mammals included in the IUCN Red List51 are theWoolly Flying Squirrel Eupetaurus cinereus andSnow leopard Panthera uncia, both of which arelisted as Endangered. The Common LeopardPanthera pardus, Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra andRoyle's Mountain Vole Alticola roylei are listed asNear Threatened.

The Snow Leopard Panthera uncia is closelyassociated with the alpine and sub-alpineecological zones. They favor steep terrain wellbroken by cliffs, ridges, gullies, and rockyoutcrops.52

The Woolly Flying Squirrel Eupetaurus cinereus iscurrently known only in a small region in northernPakistan — Diamer and the southern GilgitDistricts — though, there are someunsubstantiated reports of its occurrence in Chinaand India.53 Estimates in 1996, based on availablehabitat and local knowledge, suggest apopulation in the core region of Diamer ofbetween 1,000 and 3,000.54 There is no recentinformation available on the populationabundance of this species elsewhere in SouthAsia.55

2.2.3 BirdsMore than a hundred bird species have beenreported around the city.56 These include passagemigrants, vagrant, resident, breeding and irregularvisitors. The altitudinal migratory birds descendfrom higher altitudes during the winter months.Typical bird species found here include SnowPartridge Lerwa lerwa, Chukar Alectoris chukar,Common Quail Coturnix coturnix, CommonHoopoe Upupa epops, Common Swift Apusapus, Rock Pigeon Columba livia and CommonKestrel Falco tinnunculus.57 No Endangered orCritically Endangered bird has been reported fromthe area. The only bird included in the IUCN RedList is the European Roller Coracias garrulus,which is listed as Near Threatened.

2.2.4 HerpetofaunaReptile species found in and around the city aredominated by the family Agamidae. Speciesreported include Himalayan Agama Laudakiahimalayensis, Pakistan Agama Laudakiapakistania and Blue Rock Agama Laudakiatuberculata. Geckos are represented by BaltistanGecko Altiphylax stoliczkai and Batura Bent-toedGecko Cyrtodactylus baturensis. The BengalMonitor Varanus bengalensis has also beenreported from the area.58 Most of these specieshave not been assessed for their conservationimportance in the IUCN Red List. The reptilespecies are adapted to living at high altitudes andmany are endemic (Appendix C).

Among the amphibians, toads from the familyBufonidae are present including Batura toad Bufopseudoraddei baturae and Ladakh toad Bufolastastii.


50. Roberts, T. J. 1997. The mammal of Pakistan. 2nd edition. Oxford University Press, Karachi: 525 pp.51. IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 5 October 2013.52. Jackson, R., Mallon, D., McCarthy, T., Chundaway, R.A. & Habib, B. 2008. Panthera uncia. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened

Species. Version 2013.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 October 2013.53. Zahler, P. 2010. Eupetaurus cinereus. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>.

Downloaded on 08 October 2013.54. Ibid.55. Molur et al. 2005, Status and Red List of Pakistan Mammals. Biodiversity Programme IUCN Pakistan56. Roberts, T. J. 1992. The birds of Pakistan. Vols. 2, Oxford University Press, Karachi, Pakistan.57. Sheikh, K. 2000. Some Findings on the IUCN-Red Data Book Avian Species from Naltar Valley, Northern Pakistan. 4 (1) 1-4 pp. Pakistan

Journal of Ornithology.58. Baig, K. J. (In press). Annotated checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of the northern mountain region and Potwar plateau of Pakistan with

English common names.

2.2.5 FishThe main water bodies in Gilgit include the Gilgitand Hunza Rivers and smaller streams or nullahssuch as the Kargah, Jutial, Sakwar and BargrotNullahs (Exhibit 2.6). The Hunza River iscomparatively smaller and more turbid comparedto the Gilgit River, and the latter has a muchhigher diversity of aquatic fauna due to lessturbidity. More details on water resources areprovided in Section 2.1.4.

Little information is available on the distribution,population size and population trends of the fishspecies in the rivers and nullahs. However, atleast eight fish species are found in these waters.Prominent among them are the Rainbow TroutOncorhynchus Mykiss and Brown Trout Salmotrutta, both of which are exotic fish species. TheBrown Trout was introduced in Gilgit Agencyduring the early 1900s. Other trout speciesinclude the Kunar Snow Trout Racoma labiata andHimalayan Snow Trout Schizothoraxplagiostomus. Endemic fish species found in thecity include the Chitral Loach Triplophysa choprai,Triplophysa Loach Triplophysa microps and YasinTriplophysa Loach Triplophysa yasinensis.59 60

The role of fish in supporting the livelihood of ruralcommunities in GB has not been welldocumented. However, fish constitute a source offood protein and vitamin A for many mountaincommunities. Most of the fish caught by localpeople is consumed within households, but it isalso sometimes offered for sale.61

In Gilgit, the trout species are socioeconomicallyimportant since they not only provide food for thelocal communities but are also used forcommercial fishing and attract tourists forrecreational fishing.

Over-exploitation has reduced the population ofmany species to alarming levels in GB. Fish faunais also under threat from introduced species andhuman activities such as logging, the use ofpesticides, the construction of roads, and thediversion of water for irrigation.62

2.2.6 Protected AreasSeveral protected areas (PAs) have been createdover the last 25 years in GB. However, many ofthese lack effective management systems. Underexisting laws, wildlife sanctuaries provide greaterprotection than do national parks. Game reservesonly regulate hunting and, consequently, afford noprotection to the habitat.63

The Protected Areas (PAs) around the city (Exhibit2.10) are discussed below. The boundaries ofthese PAs are vague, as they are not clearlydefined in government publications. Therefore, forthe purpose of this report, each PA is shown byusing point indications, and the covered area,where available, is specified. The responsibility formanaging these areas lies with the Forest, Wildlifeand Environment Department of GB. NGOsworking on conserving the ecological resourcesand community-uplift schemes include the WorldWide Fund for Nature (WWF-P), the InternationalUnion for Conservation of Nature (IUCN-P), theSnow Leopard Foundation and the WildlifeConservation Society (WCS).

The PAs include the Kargah Community ManagedConservation Area, the Danyor Game Reserve,the Jutial Community Controlled Hunting Areaand the Sakwar Community Controlled HuntingArea. The Naltar Wildlife Sanctuary is located atleast 40 km away from Gilgit, but a short write-upon this protected area and its ecologicalimportance is given below.


59. Rafique, M. 2002. Fish diversity and distribution in Indus River and its drainage system: Pakistan J. Zool., vol. 32 (4): 321-332 pp60. Rafique, M. 2002. Fish fauna of Himalayas in Pakistan with comments on the origin and dispersal of its high Asian elements.61. Dr. Amjad Tahir Virk, Dr. Kashif M. Sheikh and Abdul Hamid Marwat, 2 0 0 3. NASSD Background Paper: Biodiversity. IUCN Pakistan, Northern

Areas Progamme, Gilgit. x+74 pp.62. Dr. Amjad Tahir Virk, Dr. Kashif M. Sheikh and Abdul Hamid Marwat, 2 0 0 3. NASSD Background Paper: Biodiversity. IUCN Pakistan, Northern

Areas Progamme, Gilgit. x+74 pp.63. Ibid.


Kargah Community Managed ConservationAreaThe Kargah Nullah is an important ecologicalfeature in the area. Previously, the entirecatchment of the Kargah Nullah was declared awildlife sanctuary. Recently, however, it has beenhanded over to the community and has beendeclared a Community Managed ConservationArea64. The altitude of the area ranges from 1,515m at the mouth of the Kargah Nullah to 4,242 m atits end. The average annual precipitation in thevalley is 152 to 203 mm, most of which falls assnow during the winter months of December andJanuary. June and July are the hottest months.Trees and shrubs found here include Fraxinus,Salix, Olea, Pistacia, Juniperus, Kail, Picea,Betula, Rosa, and Daphnes oleides. Ground coverconsists of Artemisia, Stipa, Haloxylon, and othergrass species.65

Large mammals found in the area include theAstore Markhor Capra falconeri, Musk DeerMoschus chrysogaster and Snow LeopardPanthera uncia, which are all listed asEndangered in the IUCN Red List 2013, and IbexCapra ibex, which is listed as of Least Concern.The area’s avifauna includes a variety of gamebirds, such as the Chukar Alectoris chukar, SnowPartridge Lerwa lerwa, Snowcock Tetraogallushimalayensis and Monal Pheasant Lophophorusimpejanus.66

The Kargah Nullah is one of the best places fortrout rearing in the GB and has two trouthatcheries. The Kargah Nullah, itself, has a verygood trout population and serves as the bestrecreational fishing spot near Gilgit.67 The areaaround the Kargah Nullah is mostly used as apicnic spot during hot summer days, in Gilgit, andthe road leading to it is good. Community

initiatives are underway to start a trophy-huntingprogramme for Astore Markhor Capra falconeriand Ibex Capra ibex that have reachedharvestable size.

Danyor Game ReserveThe Danyor Game Reserve is locatedapproximately 6 km northeast of Gilgit and covers44,000 hectares (Virk and Sheikh 2003). It is asource of attraction for tourists and hunters and isaccessible only by a bridle path. The topographyis undulating and rugged. In some places thereare steep, precipitous slopes that become gentlerat their upper limits. The climate is dry temperate;the mean annual precipitation is 76 to 102 mm,most of which falls as snow during the months ofNovember, December and January.68

Trees and shrubs include Kail, Picea, Salix,Juniperus, Olea, Pistacia, Hippophae, Fraxinus,Rosa and Betula. Ground flora comprisesArtemisia, Haloxylon, Stipa and other grasses.Large mammals in this game reserve include theAstore Markhor Capra falconeri69, Urial Ovisvignei70, Snow Leopard Panthera uncia71, IbexCapra ibex and Fox Vulpes vulpes72. Avifaunaincludes a variety of game birds, such as theChukar Alectoris chukar, Snow Partridge Lerwalerwa, Snowcock Tetraogallus himalayensis andsome species of vulture73.

Jutial Community Controlled Hunting AreaLocated along the Jutial Nullah, this area hasbeen allocated to the local communities for theconservation of its natural resources and formanaging it as a Community Controlled HuntingArea. Trees and shrubs found here includeFraxinus, Salix, Olea, Pistacia, Juniperus, Kail,Picea, Betula, Rosa, and Daphnes oleides.Large mammals found in the area include the

64. Personal communication with Babar Khan, Manager WWF-Gilgit. 65. IUCN. 1990. IUCN directory of South Asian Protected Areas. Cambridge, UK: 294 pp.66. BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Kargah Wildlife Sanctuary. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/11/201367. IUCN. 1990. IUCN directory of South Asian Protected Areas. Cambridge, UK: 294 pp68. IUCN. 1990. IUCN directory of South Asian Protected Areas. Cambridge, UK: 294 pp69. Endangered in IUCN Red List70. Vulnerable in IUCN Red List71. Endangered in IUCN Red List72. Both listed as Least Concern73. IUCN. 1990. IUCN directory of South Asian Protected Areas. Cambridge, UK: 294 pp

37Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 2.10: Protected Areas around Gilgit


Astore Markhor Capra falconeri and SnowLeopard Panthera uncia, which are listed asEndangered in the IUCN Red List 2013, and theHimalayan Ibex Capra ibex. Avifauna includes avariety of game birds, such as the ChukarAlectoris chukar, Snow Partridge Lerwa lerwa,Snowcock Tetraogallus himalayensis and MonalPheasant Lophophorus impejanus.74

Sakwar Community Controlled Hunting AreaThe Sakwar Community Controlled Hunting Areais located along the Sakwar Nullah and isecologically contiguous with the Jutial CommunityControlled Hunting Area and the Kargah andBermus Community Managed Conservationareas. This protected area is managed by thecommunity as a controlled hunting area for largemammals, such as the Astore Markhor Caprafalconeri and Himalayan Ibex Capra ibex.75

Naltar Wildlife SanctuaryThe Naltar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Naltar,northwest of Gilgit. It covers an area of 273 km² ofthe Naltar Valley, to its juncture with the HunzaRiver, and is contiguous with the Pakora andSherqila Game Reserves. This protected area islocated more than 40 km from Gilgit, but it isdiscussed here due to its ecological importance.

The sanctuary includes the Naltar Lakes Complex,which lies at an elevation of 3,183 to 3,530 metersabove sea level and comprises five small andmedium-size lakes. All of these are fed by glacialmelt in the form of springs and streams thatoriginate from the immediate catchments.76

Important flora of the area include the Betulautilis, Salix tetrasperma, Pinus wallichiana,Juniperus macropoda, Celtis spp, Fraxinusxanthoxyloides, Populus ciliata, Picea smithiana,Rosa webbiana, Rebis alpestris, Taraxacum

officinale, Fragaria vesca, Trifolium sp, Urticadiocia, Capparis spinosa, Coriandrum sativumand Hippophae rhmnoides.

The fauna includes the Himalayan Ibex Capra ibexsibirica, Astore Markhor Capra falconeri andSnow Leopard Panthera uncial that are listed asEndangered in the IUCN Red List 2013. Othermammals reported are the Common Red FoxVulpes vulpes montana, Otter Lutra lutra77, MuskDeer Moschus moschiferus78, Common WolfCanis lupus and Lynx Cat Felis lynx.79

Avifauna comprises the White Wagtail Motacillaalba, Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii, Rock BuntingEmberiza cia, Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonuscaeruleus, Black Billed Magpie Pica pica, YellowWagtail Motacilla flava, Large Billed Crow Corvusmacrorhynchos, Chukar Alectois chukar, HillPigeon Columba rupestris, Snow Pigeon Columbaleuconata, Great Tit Parus major, Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus, Rock Bunting Emberiza cia,Laughing Thrush Garrulax lineatus, HouseSparrow Passer domesticus, Golden Eagle Aquilachrysaetos, Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus,Himalayan Snowcock Tetraogallus himalayensisand Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo. Commonmigratory water birds are the Northern PigtailAnas acuta, Eurasian Teal Anas crecca, NorthernShoveler Anas clypeata and Grey Heron Andreacinerea.80

2.2.7 ConclusionsNatural landscapes and habitats of conservationimportance are located in the mountains towardsthe north and the south of Gilgit. The principleareas of conservation importance, around the city,include the Kargah Community ManagedConservation Area, the Danyor Game Reserve,and the Jutial and Sakwar Community ControlledHunting Areas. The biodiversity of these areas is

74. Personal communication with Babar Khan, Manager WWF-Gilgit. 75. Personal communication with Babar Khan, Manager WWF-Gilgit. 76. Fact sheet on Naltar Lakes, 2008. Gilgit Conservation and Information Centre, WWF-Pakistan.77. Near Threatened in IUCN Red List78. Vulnerable in IUCN Red List79. Fact sheet on Naltar Lakes, 2008. Gilgit Conservation and Information Centre, WWF-Pakistan80. Fact sheet on Naltar Lakes, 2008. Gilgit Conservation and Information Centre, WWF-Pakistan


under increasing pressure due to rising humanpopulation and the need for more land to growcrops and more wood for fuel and housing.81

This section summarizes the threats to thebiodiversity in Gilgit from existing and futuredevelopments in the city. Unmanaged anduncontrolled urban developments in and aroundthe city and an increased influx of tourists arelikely to exacerbate these threats. l Habitat loss: Habitat loss is considered the

leading cause of loss of the world’sbiodiversity. Most species need undisturbedhabitat to find food, water, shelter and mates.Activities that are leading to habitatdegradation and fragmentation include:cutting wood for fuel and firewood;commercial logging; land development; over-grazing; soil erosion; the construction ofroads and unmanaged growth of urban areas.The forest habitats in and around the city arevulnerable to these impacts particularly in theKargah, Naltar, and Danyor Valleys (Exhibit2.10).

l Decline in species of conservationimportance due to habitat loss: Thedegradation of forest habitat is bound toimpact the faunal species that abound in theforests in the city. Species of conservationimportance such as the endemic species andthose included in the IUCN Red List are ofspecial concern. These include the endemicreptiles and also large mammals, such as theIbex Capra ibex, Markhor Capra falconeri(Endangered), Urial Ovis vignei (Vulnerable),Snow Leopard Panthera uncia (Endangered),and Common Leopard Panthera pardus (NearThreatened). No Endangered or CriticallyEndangered bird species has been reportedfrom the city. Nevertheless, habitat loss anddeforestation is likely to negatively impact theavifauna.

l Species population decline due to illegalhunting: Indiscriminate and illegal hunting fortrophies, skin and meat is believed to be themajor cause of population decline for many

species of birds and animals. Mountainungulates such as the Ibex Capra ibex,Astore Markhor Capra falconeri (Endangered),Urial Ovis vignei (Vulnerable) are particularlysusceptible. Game birds such as the ChukarAlectoris chukar and waterfowl are hunted formeat, while pheasants are hunted forfeathers. Similarly, falcons are trapped andsold for the falconry trade. Increasedurbanization and an increased influx oftourists are both likely to increase huntingpressure.

l Decline in abundance of fish resources:Fish species, particularly the trout speciesfound in the Gilgit and Hunza Rivers and inthe nullahs of the city are important both froman ecological and socioeconomic standpoint.They provide food to local communities andalso recreational and commercial fishing.Over exploitation of fish resources willultimately lead to a decline in the abundanceand diversity of fish species. It is importantthat pollution from Gilgit, in the form ofsewage and solid waste, not be disposed ofin the river or its catchment areas, as thedecline in river-water quality is likely tonegatively impact its flora and fauna,particularly its fish.

l Loss of nature-tourism areas: Gilgit attractsdomestic and international tourists.Destruction of forests and decline in fishabundance will reduce the nature-tourismpotential of the area. Forest areas outside thecity and the green areas inside the city limitsshould be maintained and protected fromencroachment.

l Decline in trophy-hunting potential: Trophyhunting is a win-win situation that provides acommunity an opportunity to earn money,while at the same time conserving anecological resource (such as Markhor) and itshabitat. A decline in habitat and associatedloss of species abundance will reduce thetrophy-hunting potential of these areas.

81. McNeely, J. A. 1993. Economic incentives for conserving biodiversity: Lessons for Africa. Ambio 22 (2-3): 144-150.


l Ineffective management of protected area:

Areas designated as ‘protected’ are not

managed in the real sense of the word and

indiscriminate exploitation of their ecological

resources continues. Government agencies,

such as the Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) and the Forest, Wildlife and

Environment Department of GB have limited

capacities for the effective planning and

management of various components of

biodiversity. They lack the technical know-

how and face financial constraints. However,

NGOs such as the WWF-P and the WCS are

active in the area and are involving local

communities in implementing conservation

initiatives. As the pressures associated with

urbanization increase, capacities in these

institutions will have to be built if they are to

play a role in protecting ecologically

important areas around the city in times to

come.

2.3 Socioeconomic Environment of GilgitInformation on the socioeconomic environment ofGilgit covers all the mozas in the city as shown inExhibit 1.6.

2.3.1 DemographyAccording to the 1998 census82 conducted acrossPakistan, Gilgit’s population at the time was57,750 people.83 This figure, however, did notinclude the moza of Danyor (which includedMuhammadabad) and the moza of Sakwar (whichincluded Minawar), both of which are within theGilgit city-limits prescribed by the GDA for thePlan. Since this SEA is based on the GDAboundaries (Exhibit 1.6), the population figures forthese regions, according to the 1998 censusreport, are presented separately in Exhibit 2.11. In1998, the population growth rate of the city—excluding Danyor and Sakwar—was,approximately, 2.66%.84 A 2011 UN Habitat reportprovides a projected figure for the same area as92,365 people in 2018.85

82. GoP conducted a population census in 1998, which is the fifth and latest nation-wide population survey in the country.83. Professional Development Center North (PDCN), 2013, Population of GB, Aga Khan University, Institute of Educational Development (AKU-IED)84. Pakistan Census Organization—Government of Pakistan (PCO-GoP). (1998). District Census Report of Gilgit. Islamabad: PCO, Statistics

Division .85. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, .UN—Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.86. Ibid.87. Professional Development Center North (PDCN), 2013, Population of GB, Aga Khan University, Institute of Educational Development (AKU-IED)88. Ibid.89. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, .UN-Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.

Exhibit 2.11: Population of Danyor and Sakwar Regions in 1998 87

Population of Danyor (including Muhammadabad) in 1998 (persons): 18,095

Population of Sakwar (including Minawar) in 1998 (persons): 4,553

Exhibit 2.12: Demography of Gilgit City in 1998 88

Total Population of Gilgit District (persons): 243,324

Total Population of Gilgit City including Danyor and Sakwar (persons): 80,398

Population Growth Rate of Gilgit City (%): 2.66

Average Household Size in Gilgit City (persons/house): 8

Exhibit 2.13: Projected Demography of Gilgit City in 2018 89

Total Population of Gilgit City excluding Danyor and Sakwar (persons): 92,365

Population Density in Gilgit City excluding Danyor and Sakwar (persons per sq km): 1743

Average Household Size in Gilgit City excluding Danyor and Sakwar (persons/house): 8

The average household size in Gilgit, in 2011—excluding Danyor and Sakwar—was eightpersons.86 Exhibit 2.12 summarizes thedemography of Gilgit. Exhibit 2.13 lists theprojected demographic figures for Gilgit for 2018.

2.3.2 MigrationGilgit has the highest rate of migration in GB.90

Rural people and residents from the neighboringcommunities of Oshkandas, Nomal, Jutal andother suburban settlements migrate to Gilgit forits better education and health facilities, and itsgreater employment prospects. Most of theeducated people in the province seekemployment in the health and education sectorsin Gilgit. Residents of rural Khyber Pakhtunkhwa(KPK) and Punjab migrate to Gilgit in search ofbusiness opportunities.91

Seasonal migration trends are also noted in Gilgit.The winter season sees the highest rural-to-urban

migration because employment opportunities forrural people in winter sharply declines. Most ofthe young rural boys work in hotels andrestaurants in Gilgit during winter. There arearound 22 hotels and about 20 restaurants in thecity.92 Rural residents also migrate further south ofGilgit, during winter, to other parts of Pakistan insearch of employment and livelihoodopportunities.

2.3.3 Religion and EthnicityGB is a Muslim-majority province with a 2% non-Muslim minority. As shown in Exhibit 2.14, about54% of the total population of Gilgit District isShia; Ismailis constitute 27% of the population,whereas, the remaining 19% are Sunni.93 Incidentsof religious and ethnic violence, in the city, haverisen over the last 10 years. From 1988 to 2010,117 incidents of sectarian murders wereregistered.94


Exhibit 2.14: Sectarian Demography in Gilgit City

Shia Sunni Ismaili

27%

19%

54%


91. Ibid.92. Ibid.93. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, .UN-Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.94. Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT). (2011). Sectarian Conflict in Gilgit Baltistan. Islamabad: PILDAT .

42

2.3.4 EconomyThe average annual income of the people of Gilgitis around Rs. 30,000 per month.95 The economy islargely driven by NGO donations and GoPfunding.96 The commercial and social-servicessectors provide 45% of all livelihood opportunitiesin Gilgit and another 23% comes fromagriculture.97 After the opening of the KarakoramHighway (KKH), the increase in trade betweenChina and Pakistan resulted in many of the city’sinhabitants becoming directly or indirectlyinvolved in border trade, hoteling and transport.Fishery, tourism, education, business,government and non-government services aremain sources of revenue generation in the city.98

The total area of cultivated land in Gilgit is 22km2.99 The total production of major crops, suchas wheat, maize, barley, potato, vegetables and

fruits,100 for Gilgit District is about 63,000 metrictons.101 However, due to inadequate marketingand packaging, considerable agricultural produceis wasted.102 Exhibit 2.15 illustrates the proportionof the different sources of livelihood in Gilgit.

2.3.5 Thoroughfares and Modes ofTransportationThe Karakoram Highway (KKH), constructed byPakistan Army in 1966104, is located approximately10 km from Gilgit and connects it with other largetowns in the region, such as Chilas, Dasu,Besham, Mansehra and Abbotabad. It alsoprovides a connection with the federal capital inthe south. On the Northern side, the KKHconnects Gilgit to Hunza and Sust and extends tothe Chinese cities of Tashkurgan, Upal andKashgar, in Xinjiang province, as shown in Exhibit2.16. Gilgit is the only large urban town within a


95. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP from 16 September to 18 September 2013. This was to take the key stakeholdersin Gilgit City on board with the SEA of the Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholders involvedgovernment officials, secretaries, ministers and representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.

96. The World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Government of Pakistan. (2010). Gilgit Baltistan Economic Report-Broadening the Transformation.WB, ADB, GoP.

97. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, UN-Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.98. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP from 16 September to 18 September 2013. This was to take the key stakeholders

in Gilgit City on board with the SEA of the Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholders involvedgovernment officials, secretaries, ministers and representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.

99. The figure has been calculated using the Land Use Map for Gilgit in Exhibit 3.4.100. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, UN-Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.101. Pakistan Census Organization-Government of Pakistan (PCO-GoP). (1998). District Census Report of Gilgit. Islamabad: PCO, Statistics Division.102. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, UN-Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.103. Ibid.104. The World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Government of Pakistan. (2010). Gilgit Baltistan Economic Report-Broadening the Transformation.

Exhibit 2.15: Sources of Livelihood in Gilgit 103

Trade and Commerce

Agriculture and Forestry

Real Estate

Others

15%

10%

27%

48%


105. Pakistan Urban Observatory. (2011). City Profile – Gilgit.106. Observation made using Land Use Map in Exhibit 3.3107. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP from 16 September to 18 September 2013. This was to take the key

stakeholders in Gilgit City on board with the SEA of the Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. Thestakeholders involved government officials, secretaries, ministers and representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.

108. Pakistan Urban Observatory. (2011). City Profile - Gilgit. Retrieved November 20, 2013, from Urban UN-Habitat:http://urban.unhabitat.org.pk/Region/GilgitBaltistan/Gilgit.aspx

109. Ibid.

Exhibit 2.16: Map Showing Transport Routes of Gilgit City with Key Cities

radius of 450 km, making it the trade hub of GBand a vital trade corridor between Pakistan andChina.

Three main roads link the western part of Gilgitwith the eastern part:l River View Roadl University Road andl Shaheed-e-Millat Road

Six bridges over the Gilgit River link the northernpart of the city with the southern part. One ofthese bridges, the Gilgit Bridge, is a suspensionbridge that spans 182 m and is only 2 m wide.105

It is wide enough for one jeep to pass at a timeand is located at the end of the traditional bazaar.The total length of all roads in the city is 224km.106

The number of vehicles on the city’s roads hasincreased with time, while the width of the roadshas generally remained the same. Most roads aregenerally narrow and traffic obstructions arecommon during morning and afternoon hours,especially around offices and school areas.107 Insome areas, like Karimabad, the width of the roadis between 25 and 40 ft,108 which makes itinaccessible to emergency service vehicles, suchas ambulances and fire engines.109

Exhibit 2.16 illustrates transport routes from Gilgitto major cities around it. Exhibit 2.17 provides alayout of the road network in Gilgit. Exhibit 2.18illustrates the narrow alleyways that serve asthoroughfares in most residential areas of the city.Exhibit 2.19 provides information on the type andnumber of registered vehicles in Gilgit.


Exhibit 2.17: Thoroughfares in Gilgit City


Exhibit 2.18: Narrow Alleyways in Gilgit City

Alleyways in Nagral Alleyway in a residential area in Gilgit city

Exhibit 2.19: Type and Number of Registered Vehicles in Gilgit City 110



Exhibit 2.20: Photographs of Waste-Dump Sites in Gilgit

Dumpsite along Nomal Road

View of Dumpsite near Pump House, Mujahid Colony


2.3.6 Power and Gas SupplyGilgit’s energy demand is estimated to be 24 MW111

or 1.25 KW per household.112 GB is presently notconnected to the national power grid of Pakistanand supplies electricity through hydropower.During summer, electricity generated fromhydropower is 7 MW, which drops to 2.7 MW inwinter.113

Urban power consumption doubles in winter, asthe majority of the population in Gilgit relies onelectricity for heating, cooking and other domesticfacilities. During summer, energy consumptionincreases due to the use of refrigerators and airconditioners in domestic and commercialsettings. One out of every five houses in Gilgitnow owns a refrigerator.114

Due to the shortage of power, many householdsrely on fuel supplies especially for heating homesand workplaces during the city’s harsh winter.Wood and timber from local forests is the mainsource of fuel, which has led to deforestation(please see Section 2.1.6 for more ondeforestation in Gilgit).115

2.3.7 Waste Management The municipal corporation (MC) operating in Gilgitis short of manpower and indispensableequipment. Due to a lack of financial resources,the existing infrastructure cannot be maintained,skilled professionals cannot be hired and thenecessary procurements are hindered.116

Solid waste is collected by the MC, using twomunicipal trolleys, and is dumped at a site nearKarakoram International University (KIU). In thecommercial areas and nucleus of the city, the MC

has provided dustbins. The Office of theMunicipal Administration of Gilgit operates fivedumpers and six dustbins in the areas of Gilgit,Jutial, Khomar and Sultanabad.117 About 50% ofthe total waste generated in the city is eitherdumped or burned in the open air, while 14% iscollected by the MC.118

According to an IUCNP survey conducted in1998, the average per capita waste generation inGilgit is around 0.4 kg per day.119 Based on thisfigure, the total waste generated in the city isabout 36 tons per day.

Through site visits, it was observed thathouseholds situated along water channels directlydispose garbage into them. Usually, waste isburned at dumpsites in Gilgit.120 Photographs thatshow waste dumps lying in open space nearroads and riverbanks are presented in Exhibit2.20. Exhibit 2.21 shows the waste collection anddisposal points in Gilgit.

Waste generated by commercial activity is morehazardous than other organic and inorganiceffluents. Small- and medium-sized industries,such as automobile workshops, flour industriesand dry fruit industries, are expanding in Gilgit.There are more than 20 service stations in Gilgitalone. Effluent from these commercial activities isdischarged, without treatment, into nearby smallwater rills and ultimately into water channels.There is no proper arrangement to deal with thehazardous effluents generated by hospitals.121

111. This electricity demand is calculated on a per-household basis and does not take into account industrial and commercial demand.112. Pakistan Urban Observatory. (2011). City Profile - Gilgit. Retrieved November 20, 2013, from Urban UN-Habitat:

http://urban.unhabitat.org.pk/Region/GilgitBaltistan/Gilgit.aspx 113. Ibid.114. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP from 16 September to 18 September 2013. This was to take the key stakeholders in Gilgit

City on board with the SEA of the Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholders involved governmentofficials, secretaries, ministers and representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.

115. Ibid.116. Raza, H. (2003). Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development Background Paper: IUCN Pakistan, Northern Areas Programme, Gilgit. x+38 pp.117. Ibid.118. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, UN-Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.119. Raza, H. (2003). Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development Background Paper: IUCN Pakistan, Northern Areas Programme, Gilgit. x+38 pp.120. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP from 16 September to 18 September 2013. This was to take the key stakeholders in Gilgit

City on board with the SEA of the Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholders involved governmentofficials, secretaries, ministers and representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.

121. Raza, H. (2003). Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development Background Paper: IUCN Pakistan, Northern Areas Programme, Gilgit. x+38 pp.


Exhibit 2.21: Waste-Collection and Disposal Points in Gilgit


2.3.8 Education SectorThe literacy rate for the urban areas of GilgitDistrict was reported at 50% in 1998.122 Theenrollment ratio123 for Gilgit, in 1998, was 62%.124

There are more than 2000 schools, 14 collegesand one university in the district.125 KIU currentlyenrolls 415 students every year. A comparison ofGilgit’s early childhood education (ECE)

enrollment figures for children aged 3 to 5 years ≈with other provinces of Pakistan, for the year2011, is shown in Exhibit 2.22. It can be clearlynoted that Gilgit’s enrollment ratio is even higherthan that of Punjab. Exhibit 2.23 illustrates thedistribution of educational institutions throughoutthe city.

122. PCO-GoP. (1998). District Census Report of Gilgit. Islamabad: Population Census Organization, Statistics Division.123. Percentage of population going to school.124. PCO-GoP. (1998). District Census Report of Gilgit. Islamabad: Population Census Organization, Statistics Division.125. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, UN-Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.126. Ibid.

Exhibit 2.22: Early Childhood Education (ECE) - National and Provincial Profiles 126


Exhibit 2.23: Educational Facilities in Gilgit City


2.3.9 Health FacilitiesThere is one District Headquarter Hospital (DHQ),

five hospitals and 22 dispensaries in Gilgit City.

Basic level surgery facilities are present at the

Civil Military Hospital (CMH) Gilgit and the DHQ.127

The numerical strength of doctors and health

specialists in the city is likely to be around 70 at

present.128 Female doctors account for less than

30% of the total number of doctors.129

During site visits, the Secretary of the Local

Government of Gilgit-Baltistan informed the team

of an increase in respiratory illnesses and skin

allergies among women and children.130 Although

access to medical facilities has been made easier

by the intervention of Government and Non-

Government Organizations (NGOs), health

expenses still pose a major financial burden on

families in Gilgit. Residents of Oshkan Das, Nomal

and other suburban settlements in the city also

depend on Gilgit’s health facilities.131

Location of health facilities in Gilgit is shown in

the Exhibit 2.24. Note that regions of Danyor,

Sultan Abad and Sakwar have no immediate

hospital facilities nearby.

Exhibit 2.24: Spread of Health Facilities in Gilgit City

127. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP from 16 September to 18 September 2013. This was to take the key stakeholdersin Gilgit City on board with the SEA of the Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholders involvedgovernment officials, secretaries, ministers and representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.

128. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, UN-Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.129. Ibid.130. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP from 16 September to 18 September 2013. This was to take the key stakeholders


131. Ibid.


2.3.10 Tourism and Recreational FacilitiesIn Gilgit, there are two recreational parks. The

Chinar Bagh covers an area of 8.5 acres and the

City Park is located near the airport. Polo grounds

in the city are used to hold polo matches and

other traditional festivals of the area, which are a

major source of tourist attraction. The Shandur

Polo Festival in Gilgit attracts ordinary tourists

and dignitaries from the world over.132 The Armed

Forces and local administration have their own

recreational complexes, which are only for

officials. The city also has three cinema halls with

a combined seating capacity of 800.133

Recreational spots in Gilgit are shown in Exhibit

2.25. Locals of Gilgit’s suburban region also travel

to Gilgit for recreational purposes.134 135

Paragliding, trekking and mountaineering are the

most widely practiced sports in the region. Almost

all tourists headed for trekking and

mountaineering in the Karakoram and Himalayas

arrive at Gilgit first. Most local and international

scientific expeditions to study glaciers and

climate change also start from Gilgit.136 Walking

trails through forests with meadows and streams

also attract many tourists and locals for picnics.137

Major tourist attractions around Gilgit include

Naltar Peak; Hunza Valley; the Fairy Meadows in

Raikot; Shigar Town; Skardu City; Haramosh Peak

in the Karakoram Range; Bagrot-Haramosh

Valley; Deosai National Park; Astore Valley; Rama

Lake; Juglot Town; Phunder Village; Yasin Valley

and Kargah Valley. Another tourist attraction in

Gilgit is the Kargah Buddha, which is carved into

a cliff at the mouth of the valley. The Buddhist

manuscripts found in Gilgit are among the oldest

manuscripts in the world. They are significant in

Buddhist studies and in the evolution of Asian and

Sanskrit literature.

The number of tourists that visited Gilgit City in

2011 was around 37,000.138 The lack of properly

developed recreation and tourist spots along with

meager physical and social infrastructure has

negatively affected this industry. Ethnic and

sectarian violence has also reduced the number

of local and foreign tourists that visit the region.139


133. Ibid.134. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP from 16 September to 18 September 2013. This was to take the key stakeholders


135. According to comments received from the GBEPA on 7th May 2014, there is also a Chinese Cemetery in Danyor which is considered animportant heritage site for the city. The cemetery is the final resting place of Chinese workers and engineers who died during the constructionof the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in Pakistan in the 1960s and 1970s.



138. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, UN-Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.139. Pakistan Urban Observatory. (2011). City Profile - Gilgit. Retrieved November 20, 2013, from Urban UN-Habitat:


53Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 2.25: Recreational Spots in Gilgit


2.4 Environmental Values of Physical-Environment Features in GilgitBased on the physical and socioeconomic-

environment features discussed in the previous

sections, the Environmental Values (EVs) of the

former are identified and discussed in the

following sections under the following broad

categories:

l Agricultural Fields and Grazing Areas,

l Forests,

l The Gilgit and Hunza Rivers and their

Riverbanks,

l The Nullahs,

l Gilgit’s Air Quality

The EVs highlight the importance of each one of

these features to the overall functioning of the

entire city.

A description of the EVs is followed by a

discussion on the different barriers to realization,

which are, at present, hindering the different

environmental and socioeconomic features in the

city from fulfilling their environmental function. For

example, the nullahs of Gilgit may be unable to

realize their EV of providing clean drinking water

to the inhabitants due to their contamination from

the uncontrolled dumping of waste.

Any future development in the city must address

these barriers and enhance the EVs of all of the

physical and socioeconomic-environmental

features of the city. Any development that

irreversibly harms the EVs will not be sustainable

in the long run. On the other hand, preserving and

enhancing the EVs will result in prosperity and an

improved quality of life of the inhabitants of the

city, who will then enjoy higher incomes, peace

and stability.

Therefore, a discussion on the EVs and the

barriers faced by each of the physical and

socioeconomic environmental features in the city

ends by recommending a few priority

interventions. These interventions are the

foundation on which the Conceptual Master Plan

(CMP) is developed. While the interventions

recommended in this section are brief, the CMP

further develops them into detailed structural

recommendations. The Financial Stability Plan

(FSP) (Section 4) and the Institutional Framework

(IF) (Section 5) develop the financial and

institutional recommendations, in greater detail, in

their respective sections.

2.4.1 Agricultural Fields and Grazing AreasIn Gilgit, agriculture accounts for 23% of total

livelihood provision. According to Exhibit 1.6,

approximately 22% of the total area in Gilgit, or

21.8 sq km, is covered by agricultural fields, trees

and grazing areas.140 These are primarily used for

subsistence farming and are therefore small,

fragmented and spread throughout the city. After

fulfilling their own needs, the owners of these

lands make their produce available to the local

market. The size of the agricultural land and

grazing areas in Danyor are larger compared to

other similar landholdings in the rest of the city.

Exhibit 2.27 and Exhibit 2.28 provides

photographs of different agricultural fields and

grazing areas in different parts of the city. Exhibit

2.29 provides a summary of the EVs, the barriers

to realization and the priority interventions for

agricultural fields and grazing areas in Gilgit.

140. Observation has been made using the Land Use Map shown in Exhibit 2.3

55Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 2.26: Agricultural Fields and Grazing Areas in Gilgit


Exhibit 2.27: Photographs of Agricultural Fields and Grazing Areas in Different Parts ofGilgit in September

A view of the city from Barmas facing north.

A typical subsistence farm in Barmas with agricultural fields and livestock sheds adjacent to the landowner’s residence.


A view of the city center from Barmas.

Grazing field in Barmas


Another view of the city center showing the trees.

A view of the city center from University Road, north of the Gilgit River.


Exhibit 2.28: Photographs of Agricultural Fields and Grazing Areas in different Parts ofGilgit in December

Grazing fields in Barmas.

Agricultural fields in Barmas.


Agricultural fields in Barmas.

A view of the city from Barmas facing northeast.


A view of the city from Barmas facing north.


Environmental Values of Agricultural andGrazing Areasl Subsistence Farming – A Strategic Asset

Gilgit is located in a remote area with limitedaccess to markets across the country. Thecost of importing goods, especially foodproducts, to the city contributes to a sizableproportion of their price. Subsistence farming,which includes growing crops and rearinglivestock, forms a vital source of survival for alarge part of the inhabitants of the city.Surplus produce is sold to the local markets,which become a source of income for someof the households.

In winter months, the production ofsubsistence agricultural products becomesalmost negligible. Demand for food itemsfrom the markets peaks. This also leads to anincrease in the price of these items. Incomesaved by the city’s inhabitants during thesummer months, by relying on home-grownfruits and vegetables, is used during winter. Inthis way, summer subsistence farmingactivities form a lifeline for the city’sinhabitants and Gilgit’s economy, both ofwhich rely on local produce for six months ofthe year.

The reduction of agricultural land and grazingareas, in the city, will result in a massiveincrease in the prices of basic food itemsthere. This will adversely affect its inhabitantsand lead to increasing unrest through risingcrime rates, which will also result in anincrease in the city’s already intense ethnictensions.

l Commercial Agriculture and ExportOpportunitiesFood items that are not grown at home areobtained from the local market. In this way,commercial agriculture accounts for 22% oftotal livelihood provision of Gilgit’sinhabitants.141 Agricultural products in the areainclude vegetables, fruits, dry fruits and

fodder. Food items unique to Gilgit’s weather,such as apricots, peaches, mulberries,apples, honeydew melons, almonds andwalnuts, are exported to other parts ofPakistan and Asia, forming a vital contributionto the local economy.142

l Aesthetic Beauty and Source of Tourist AttractionOther than the economic role agriculturalfields and grazing areas play for the economyof the city, they also enhance the aestheticbeauty of the city, which is characteristic andunique to cities located in mountainousterrains. This uniqueness forms a large part ofthe pull for tourists who seek a reclusive andnatural environment away from the hustle andbustle of their own towns and cities. Touristsand visitors bring with them a lot of capitalthat is injected into Gilgit’s economy. Hotels,restaurants, tour guides, heritage andrecreational centers, and other aspects of thecity linked to the tourism sector earn a largepart of their revenue from tourists.

Barriers to the Realization of EnvironmentalValuesl Encroachment

In recent years, the proportion of agriculturalland has been decreasing due toencroachment by commercial and privatesectors. Local farmers see better incomepotential by constructing a residential orcommercial property on their agricultural landand generating revenue by renting it out.Since almost all of the agricultural land isprivately owned, there is no GDA check onthe conversion of agricultural land intonon–agricultural uses. Therefore, land withinthe city and in the rural areas and villagesoutside it are being rapidly enveloped bycommercial or residential areas.

l Lack of Adequate IrrigationGilgit is an arid zone that requires largeamounts of water for irrigating agricultural

141. Observation has been made using Land Use Map shown in Exhibit 2.3142. http://www.brecorder.com/agriculture–a–allied/183:pakistan/1182473:gilgit–baltistan–fruits–horticulture–exports–could–fetch–billions/?date=2012–04–26


land. However, there is no adequate irrigationnetwork that exists for this purpose. A poorinfrastructure for water–supply in the city hasleft many households with limited or nosupply of clean water. As a result, onlyagricultural activities close to the source ofthe nullahs on the mountain slopes and thoselocated on or next to the riverbanks haveadequate irrigation water. Agriculture areasbetween these can be expanded withadequate water–supply for irrigation.

l Poor Agricultural-Sector InfrastructureAt present, there is a lack of facilities, such asa non-availability of cold storage for the short-term storage of fruit, and of export qualitypackaging material, quality control forgrading, and facilities for washing anddisinfection.143 Due to inadequate marketing,packaging and modes of transporting goodsto distant markets, a considerable amount ofagricultural produce is wasted, as is theassociated potential income for the city’seconomy.144

l Introduction of Non-Native or Exotic SpeciesThe use of exotic or non-native species isbecoming common in agriculture in the city.There is a danger that, if uncontrolled andunchecked, invasive species might beintroduced. These will upset the local

ecosystems, and especially harm the soil orintroduce pests that destroy the city’sagricultural potential.

Priority Interventionsl Regulating Land Use of Agricultural Fields

and Grazing AreasSubsistence farming in the city is a strategicasset that must be protected at all costs. As apolicy, Gilgit’s civil and political leadershipmust not allow a reduction in the amount ofarea used for agriculture. In fact, any futuredevelopment must try to increase the amountof such areas.

In any future development of the city, landcurrently being used for agriculture or grazing,whether subsistence or commercial, must notbe allowed to be converted to another landuse. For this purpose, the Gilgit DevelopmentAuthority (GDA) will need to conduct a surveyof the existing agricultural areas and clearlydemarcate them. Land for residential orcommercial development in other parts of thecity must also be identified.

The GDA could also work on providingincentives to subsistence farmers to continuegrowing crops for themselves and for the city.These incentives could include improvinginfrastructure related to the agricultural sector,

143. http://www.brecorder.com/agriculture–a–allied/183:pakistan/1182473:gilgit–baltistan–fruits–horticulture–exports–could–fetch–billions/?date=2012–04–26144. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, UN–Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.

Exhibit 2.29: Summary of the Environmental Values, Barriers to Realization and PriorityInterventions of Agricultural Fields and Grazing Areas in GilgitEnvironmental Feature

Agricultural Fields andGrazing Areas

Environmental Value

• Subsistence Farming –A Strategic Asset

• Commercial Agricultureand ExportOpportunities

• Aesthetic Beauty andSource of TouristAttraction

Barriers to Realization

• Encroachment

• Lack of AdequateIrrigation

• Poor Agricultural-sectorInfrastructure

• Introduction of Non-native or Exotic Species

Priority Interventions

• Regulating Land Use ofAgricultural Fields andGrazing Areas

• Improving Agricultural-sector Infrastructure

64

such as irrigation supplies, and helpingfarmers market their produce to other parts ofthe country.

l Improving Agricultural-sectorInfrastructureIn order to promote local produce to otherparts of Pakistan and internationally, the GDAmust invest in agricultural facilities thatincrease the amount of agricultural produce inthe city, as well as its shelf life, especially forlocal fruits, and add to its value, such as bycanning or tinning using preservatives.

A system of irrigation will need to bedeveloped for areas that are not close to therivers or to the main sources of the nullahs onthe mountain slopes. This will help increasethe volume of agricultural produce in theseareas and also the overall volume ofagricultural produce for subsistence andcommercial farming.

2.4.2 ForestsTrees are located throughout the city, usually onagricultural lands and grazing areas. In someparts, however, the tree density is higher. Here thetrees provide the same function to the ecosystemas forests in terms of their role as a habitat forbirds and terrestrial fauna. Exhibit 2.30 illustratesthe locations of forests in Gilgit. These compriseapproximately 3.8 sq km or 4% of the land areawithin the GDA boundary. The forests arecharacterized by fewer deciduous tree species,although coniferous species predominate. Forestsalso occur in the vicinity of the Jutial Nullah andon the mountain slopes facing the city. Typicaltree species in these forests include Piceasmithiana, Cedrus deodara and Pinus willichiana.Smaller shrubs include Quercus ilex and Junglusregia and scattered shrubs of Artimesia maritima,Ephedra intermedia, Indigofera gerardiana,Sambucus ebulus, Sorbaria tomentosa, andPlectranthus rugosus. Exhibit 2.32 provides asummary of the EVs, barriers to realization andpriority interventions for forests in Gilgit.

Environmental Values of Forestsl Habitat for Birds and Terrestrial Fauna

The forests surrounding Gilgit provide habitatfor birds and terrestrial faunal. Largemammals such as the Snow LeopardPanthera uncia, Common Leopard Pantherapardus, Wolf Canis lupus, and Red FoxVulpes vulpes have been reported in the hillssurrounding the city.

More than a hundred bird species have beenreported in the city and its environs.145 Theseinclude passage migrants, vagrant, resident,breeding and irregular visitors. Altitudinalmigratory birds descend from higher altitudesduring the winter months. Typical bird speciesfound here include the Snow Partridge Lerwalerwa, Chukar Alectoris chukar, CommonQuail Coturnix coturnix, Common HoopoeUpupa epops, Common Swift Apus apus,Rock Pigeon Columba livia and CommonKestrel Falco tinnunculus.

By preserving the forests and, thus, thehabitat for birds and fauna, Gilgit has thepotential to become a recognized academicand tourist center for bird-watching andanimal-sighting activities. Students andresearchers in the field of zoology, ecologyand other natural sciences will be attracted toGilgit for the unique biodiversity the city hasto offer.

l Source of Timber for Fuel andConstructionDifferent varieties of trees in the forests areused either as a source of fuel or as aconstruction material. Varieties used for fuelare sold in the local market for Rs 650 to 700(US$6 to 7) per maund146 (or mun in the localdialect).147

During the summer months, Gilgit’sinhabitants are able to meet their demand forfuel by using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)


145. Roberts, T. J. 1992. The Birds of Pakistan. Vols. 2, Oxford University Press, Karachi, Pakistan.146. One maund is approximately equal to 40 kg. http://books.google.com.pk/books/about/Rice_Almanac.html?id=suZZiwyCEYMC&redir_esc=y147. According to comments received from the GBEPA on 7th May 2014, there is no timber being supplied for fuel from within the city. The main sources of

timber are the adjacent districts of Diamer and Hamamosh, a remote area within Gilgit District with thick forest.

65Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 2.30: Forests in Gilgit


Exhibit 2.31: Photographs of Forests in Gilgit

Forest area in Skarkoi.

Forests next to the airport.


LPG cylinders available for purchase in a local shop.

Timber being used at a local restaurant to fire the oven.

68

tanks. An LPG tank weighing between 8 to 10kg costs approximately Rs 1,800 to 2,350(US$18 to 23) and is primarily used forcooking. During the winter, however, theincrease in demand for LPG tanks results inprice hikes and shortages. This results in anincrease in the demand for timber, which isprimarily used by the inhabitants for heating.

According to a shopkeeper in the timbermarket, interviewed by the SEA team in Gilgit,approximately 40 maunds, or 10 to 15maunds per month, is sufficient for ahousehold to purchase its winter supply oftimber. Local timber is also one of the primaryconstruction materials for housing in Gilgit.

If the trees in the city are neither preservednor used in a sustainable way, the price oftimber for winter heating will becomeunaffordable for the inhabitants of the city.This will result in an increase in the incidenceof adverse health effects during wintermonths, which will, in turn, result in higherpressure on the local health facilities.

Unsustainable use of timber will result in thecomplete destruction of trees within the city. Itwill also cause a slow increase in the pressureon forests in other parts of GB. The furtheraway these forests are, the higher the pricesfor timber will become.

l Grazing AreasThe grass, shrubs and leaves in the forestsmake excellent grazing areas for livestock inGilgit.

l Prevent Flooding and ErosionThe forests around the rivers and nullahs inthe city help prevent flooding and soil erosion.Forests on the mountain slopes help preventlandslides.

l Aesthetic Beauty and Source of TouristAttractionLike agricultural fields and grazing areas, theforests in and around the city also enhancethe aesthetic beauty of the city, which attractstourists. Tourists and visitors bring with thema lot of capital, which they inject into Gilgit’seconomy. Hotels, restaurants, tour guides,heritage and recreational centers and otheraspects of the city linked to the tourismsector earn a large part of their revenue fromthese tourists.

Barriers to Realizationl Encroachment

In recent years, the number of trees and thesize of forests have been decreasing due tocommercial and private-sector encroachment.Trees are being cut down within the city andin the outlying villages and rural areas tomake room for commercial or residentialdevelopment.


Exhibit 2.32: Summary of the Environmental Values, Barriers to Realization and Priority Interventions of Forests in GilgitEnvironmental Feature

Forests

Environmental Value

• Habitat for Birds andTerrestrial Fauna

• Source of Timber forFuel and Construction

• Grazing Areas

• Prevent Flooding andErosion

• Aesthetic Beauty andSource of TouristAttraction


• Encroachment

• Deforestation

• Stone Blasting andExcavation works


• Preserving Forest Areas

• Developing AlternateSources for Fuel Supply

l DeforestationDue to an increasing population in the city,the demand for timber for fuel andconstruction is also increasing. This demandis exacerbated in the winter months when thesupply of LPG tanks in the city run short. Towarm their homes during the winters, most ofthe inhabitants are dependent on wood fromsurrounding forests and this increases therate of deforestation.

l Stone Blasting and Excavation worksStone blasting and excavation works inquarries on the mountain slopes facing thecity also damage forests in those areas.

Priority Interventionsl Preserving Forest Areas

As a policy for the GDA on sustainable treeplanting and use, large-scale clearing offorests and trees for development inside theGDA boundaries should be allowed only ifthese trees are relocated elsewhere within thecity. The GDA should conduct a survey tocalculate the minimum number of treesrequired in the city for existing and futurebiodiversity services and socioeconomic usesof the inhabitants of the city. Anydevelopments in the city must not cause areduction in the required figures.

l Sustainable Use of TreesFor ease of regulation, forested areas in thecity should be clearly demarcated. Trees onthe outskirts of the GDA boundary shouldalso be included in the demarcation.

The chopping of trees in the city must beregulated by the GDA. The GDA must alsoensure that the quotas announced for thenumber of trees households can cut or thatcan be used for commercial purposes arerespected. Heavy fines should be institutedfor offenders.

For any future developments in the city, suchas road construction and forest clearing,

permits should be required. These permitsshould indicate the maximum number of treesthat can be cut down and should also state anew location within the city where newreplacement trees will be planted.

l Developing Alternate Sources for Fuel SupplyAlternative sources of fuel must bedeveloped, especially during the winter. Theseinclude the provision of natural gas to the cityor securing a supply of LPG gas cylinders thatwill last the entire winter.

2.4.3 Gilgit and Hunza Rivers and theRiverbanksThe Gilgit and Hunza Rivers and the key nullahsof Gilgit are shown in Exhibit 2.33. Photographs ofthe Gilgit and Hunza Rivers and their Riverbanksare shown in Exhibit 2.34. The Gilgit River flowsthrough Gilgit from west to east. The Hunza Riverflows from the north and joins the Gilgit River atDuo Pani: the Gilgit–Hunza confluence nearKarakorum International University (KIU). Riverflow is highest from July to September whensnow melts in the mountains. Torrential rainsresult in landslides, heavy flooding and highturbidity in river waters. Irrigation is dependent onriver water and glacial melts.148 Exhibit 2.35provides a summary of the EVs, barriers torealization and priority interventions of the Gilgitand Hunza Rivers and their riverbanks.

Environmental Valuesl Habitat for Riverine Ecology

The two rivers Gilgit and Hunza and thesmaller nullahs contain both endemic andexotic fish species. The latter has a muchhigher diversity of aquatic fauna due to itslower turbidity.

At least eight fish species are found in thesebodies of water. Prominent among these arethe Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss andBrown Trout Salmo trutta, both of which areexotic fish species. The Brown Trout wasintroduced in Gilgit Agency during the early1900s. Other trout species include the Kunar


148. Ibid.

Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit City70

Snow Trout Racoma labiata and HimalayanSnow Trout Schizothorax plagiostomus.Endemic fish species include the ChitralLoach Triplophysa choprai, Triplophysa loach,Triplophysa microps and Yasin Triplophysayasinensis.

l Habitat for Birds and Terrestrial Fauna andFlora The rivers and their banks also play a criticalrole in habitat restoration, particularly forbirds.

l Source of NutritionFish constitute a source of food protein andVitamin A for many mountain communities,including the inhabitants of Gilgit. Most of thefish caught by local people is consumedwithin households, but it is also sometimesoffered for sale and, thus, supplements theirincome.

l Tourist Attraction and Recreational ValueThe rivers that course through the center ofGilgit and their riverbanks possess a largepotential for recreational development.Returning rivers and their banks to theirnatural state allows native species and naturalecosystems to recover. This, in turn, createsopportunities for increased recreationaltourism, such as picnicking, fishing andrafting. Protecting the Gilgit and Hunza Riverswill provide inhabitants the opportunity togenerate revenue from students studying inthe KIU or from tourists visiting the city forfishing, camping and picnicking on theriverbanks, or white-water boating.

l Aesthetic ImportanceThe wide and fast-flowing Gilgit and HunzaRivers are a part of the scenic beauty ofGilgit. Riverfront properties and recreationalareas, if adequately developed, will be uniqueto the city and a source of a lot of revenue.Offices, hotels and restaurants will competefor a place close to the river or facing it. Bydeveloping the area in a controlled fashion,

the GDA will be able to charge higher rents orlease rates.

l Drinking and Irrigation Water SupplyPresently, the nullahs are the primary sourceof drinking and irrigation water in the city.However, with an increasing population and aconsequent higher demand for drinking waterin the future, water from the rivers will be usedby commercial and residential areas in thecity.

l Role of Riverbanks in Protection fromFloods and Soil ErosionThe banks of the rivers absorb the energy ofincoming water and thus have an extremelyvital role to play in controlling soil erosion. Soilerosion results in bank instability therebyposing a risk to public safety. Residences andcommercial buildings located on or close tothe city’s riverbanks may suffer propertydamage, economic disruption or risk injury ordeath if the riverbanks are not protected.

The riverbanks also have the potential toprotect the city from floods. Keeping the landalong the riverbanks open and undevelopedallows the water to rise without threateninghomes or lives. By leaving open spacesbetween the river and the residential andcommercial areas, flood-protection barrierssuch as levees can be set back farther fromthe edge of the river, making them stronger,more practical, and more cost efficient. Fewercontrolled developments in flood banks willreduce the human cost and governmentexpense from flooding.

The neglect and consequent reduction ofriverbanks will cause river edges to shiftcloser to nearby buildings and developmentsand erode their foundations. Gradually, theriver will grow wider, which will place hugepressures on the GDA to erect protectivebarriers between the river and the existinginfrastructure. This will also result in amassive financial strain on the city economy.

71Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 2.33: The Gilgit and Hunza Rivers and the Riverbanks in Gilgit


Barriers to Realization of Environmental Valuesl Waste Disposal into the Rivers and on the

RiverbanksAll wastewater in the city is currently eitherbeing disposed without treatment directly intothe rivers or into soakage pits that overflowand contaminate the river. Due to the volumeof river flow, the contaminants are diluted; inthe future, however, the growing city willrequire the same water to fulfill its drinking-water demand. Therefore, not only does thedeteriorating water quality affect the riverineecology, it will also adversely harm humanhealth.

l OverfishingOver-exploitation of fish in GB has reducedthe population of many species to alarminglevels. Fish fauna is also under threat fromintroduced species and from human activities,such as logging, the use of pesticides, roadconstruction, and the diversion of water forirrigation.

l Uncontrolled Development on RiverbanksThe riverbanks in the city face increasingpressure for development. New settlers fromother parts of GB are settling in Gilgit andbuilding residences on the riverbanks. Thesedevelopments are adding to the existingcommercial areas and residences alreadyencroaching on the banks.

l Sand and Gravel MiningThe riverbanks in the city are beingextensively used for sand and gravel mining.Such activities are rapidly destroying thebanks and bringing these rivers closer to theexisting structures around them.

Priority Interventionsl Waste Disposal Treatment and

ManagementAdequate wastewater treatment systems areneeded, in the city, to treat effluents prior totheir disposal into the rivers. Commercialactivities and shops, such as car workshops,service stations and butcher shops, should be

discouraged from locating close to the rivers.The GDA must regulate wastewater streamscoming from households, industries, andhospitals and provide adequate treatmentfacilities for them.

Solid waste disposal into the river should bebanned and should incur fines. A solid-wastetreatment facility, such as a landfill site,should be allocated outside the city boundaryfor this purpose.

l Legislation Controlling RiverfrontDevelopmentSince uncontrolled riverfront development willplace the entire city at risk, adequate policymeasures and legal instruments should be putin place to regulate such development. Ifriverbank ownership is private, the GDAshould try to purchase them. The onlydevelopment allowed on the banks should belinked to the recreational and tourism sectors.Existing commercial and residential buildingsshould slowly be relocated elsewhere.

There should be an immediate ban placed onsand and gravel mining along the riverbanks;this ban should include those mining activitiesalready taking place. The GDA should identifyareas outside the city where it can encourageand regulate these activities.

l Establish River ParkwaysThe river and the riverbanks should beconverted into recreational zones. These‘parkways’ should be developed to improvethe quality of life of the inhabitants of the cityand to promote the diversification of Gilgit’seconomy by enhancing the tourism sector.The parkways will offer recreationalopportunities for jogging, biking, walking,school outings, camping and picnics. Thesewill also provide habitat for dozens of nativespecies and offer critical flood protection tothe city.


Exhibit 2.34: Photographs of the Gilgit and Hunza Rivers and their Riverbanks

Riverbank on the Gilgit River near the city center.

Truck carrying gravel extracted from the riverbank.


Scenic view of the Gilgit River from Konudas.

Washing clothes on the bank of the Gilgit River.


A stream of untreated effluent from a drain flowing into the Gilgit River.

Sand and Gravel Mining on the riverbank at Sonikot.


A large waste dump in Konudas which falls into the river

New developments on the riverbank at the Jagir Basin.


New encroachments and developments on the riverbanks

An upcoming development on the riverbank.


Commercial buildings built on the riverbanks.

Waste dump on the edge of the Gilgit River.


Exhibit 2.35: Summary of the Environmental Values, Barriers to Realization and PriorityInterventions of Gilgit and Hunza Rivers and the Riverbanks in GilgitEnvironmental Feature

Gilgit and Hunza Riversand the River Banks

Environmental Value

• Habitat for RiverineEcology

• Habitat for Birds andTerrestrial Fauna andFlora

• Source of Nutrition

• Tourist Attraction andRecreational Value

• Aesthetic Importance

• Drinking and IrrigationWater Supply

• Role of Riverbanks inProtection from Floodsand Soil Erosion


• Waste Disposal into theRivers and on theRiverbanks

• Overfishing

• UncontrolledDevelopment onRiverbanks

• Sand and Gravel Mining


• Waste DisposalTreatment andManagement

• Legislation ControllingRiverfront Development

• Establish RiverParkways

2.4.4 NullahsThe nullahs149 around the city are Gilgit’s primarysources of water supply and are recharged byglacial melt. These nullahs eventually flow into theGilgit and Hunza Rivers. Key nullahs in and aroundthe city are the Jutial, Konudas, Kargah andDanyor; the other nullahs are the Barnas andSakwar. The Kargah and Jutial nullahs serve mostof the irrigation and drinking water purposes of thecity.150 Exhibit 2.36 illustrates the main nullahsaround Gilgit. Photographs of some of the Nullahsin Gilgit are shown in Exhibit 2.37. Exhibit 2.38provides a summary of the EVs, the barriers torealization and the priority interventions for thenullahs in Gilgit.

Environmental Values of the Nullahsl Primary Source of Drinking and Irrigation

WaterThe nullahs, particularly the Jutial andKonudas Nullahs, are the primary sources ofdrinking water in the city. Water from thenullahs is also extensively used for irrigatingagricultural land in the city.

l Habitat for Riverine EcologySome of the nullahs contain endemic andexotic fish species. The Kargah Nullah is an

important ecological feature in the area.Previously, the entire catchment of the KargahNullah was declared a wildlife sanctuary.Recently, however, it has been handed over tothe community and has been declared aCommunity Managed Conservation Area.

The Kargah Nullah is one of the best placesfor trout rearing in the GB. It has two trouthatcheries, and the Kargah Nullah, itself, has avery good trout population that serves as thebest recreational fishing spot near Gilgit.151

l Habitat for Birds and Terrestrial Fauna andFloraThe trees and shrubs found along the KargahNullah include Fraxinus, Salix, Olea, Pistacia,Juniperus, Kail, Picea, Betula, Rosa, andDaphnes oleides. Ground cover consists ofArtemisia, Stipa, Haloxylon, and other grassspecies. Large mammals found in the areainclude the Astore Markhor Capra falconeri,Musk Deer Moschus chrysogaster and SnowLeopard Panthera uncia, which are listed asEndangered in the IUCN Red List 2013, andthe Ibex Capra ibex, which is listed as of LeastConcern.

149. A Nullah (pl. Nullahs) is a small and narrow watercourse/stream. 150. Pakistan Urban Observatory. 2011. City Profile – Gilgit. Retrieved November 20, 2013, from Urban UN–Habitat:

http://urban.unhabitat.org.pk/Region/GilgitBaltistan/Gilgit.aspx151. IUCN. 1990. IUCN directory of South Asian Protected Areas. Cambridge, UK: 294 pp

80

The avifauna includes a variety of game birds,such as the Chukar Alectoris chukar, SnowPartridge Lerwa lerwa, Snowcock Tetraogallushimalayensis and Monal PheasantLophophorus impejanus.

The Sakwar Community Controlled HuntingArea is located along the Sakwar Nullah and isecologically contiguous with the JutialCommunity Controlled Hunting Area and theKargah and Burmas Community ManagedConservation areas. This protected area ismanaged by the community as a controlledhunting area for large mammals such as theAstore Markhor Capra falconeri andHimalayan Ibex Capra ibex.

The area along the Jutial Nullah has beenallocated to the local communities for theconservation of its natural resources and formanaging it as a Community ControlledHunting Area. The trees and shrubs foundhere include Fraxinus, Salix, Olea, Pistacia,Juniperus, Kail, Picea, Betula, Rosa, andDaphnes oleides.

l Tourist Attraction and Recreational ValueThe road leading to the Kargah Nullah is goodand the bank of the nullah is mostly used as apicnic spot during the hot summer days inGilgit. Community initiatives are underway tostart a trophy-hunting program for the AstoreMarkhor Capra falconeri and Ibex Capra ibexthat have reached harvestable size.

Barriers to Realization of Environmental Valuesl Customary Water Rights

The water in the nullahs is first stored in watertanks located at higher elevations along thenullahs. The water is, then, releaseddownstream to different communities aroundthe nullah, based on their customary waterrights. Based on this system, communitiesthat have been in the area for a long period oftime are placed at an advantage over new

communities, which normally do not have anywater rights. This system is creatingmanagement problems for water distributionin the city that lead to conflicts amongcommunities due to water shortages. Waterfrom the Kargah Nullah is allotted on a rotatingper-household basis of only 2 days a week.

l Dilapidated Water Distribution InfrastructureSome of the existing water tanks anddrinking-water supply complexes in the southof Gilgit were built in the late 1970s to meetthe water demands of the time and are still inuse by the current residents of the city.152 Theexisting pipe water-distribution network,however, does not supply adequate pressurefor the required amount of water. In someareas, the pipes are in a damaged conditiondue to rusting and in other areas, at higheraltitudes in the city, the pipes are regularlydamaged by the expansion of frozen water inthe winter.153

At present, the water storage and distributioncapacity of the water supply complexes isinadequate and does not meet the city’sexisting water demand. Expansion of theexisting system is problematic due to the lackof available space and a paucity of financialresources. An IUCN survey indicates that thepresent storage capacity of all water-supplycomplexes is about 15 times less than theactual demand.154

l Waste Disposal into the NullahsThe two main nullahs, the Jutial and theKonudas Nullahs, are the primary sources ofwater supply in the city, and are beingcontaminated by unchecked waste disposalby residents living close to them. The othernullahs are suffering from a similar fate.Considering the nullahs are the primarysources of drinking water for the city’sinhabitants, their contamination will result in ahigh incidence of water-borne diseases there.


152. Ibid.153. Raza, H. 2003. Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development Background Paper: IUCN Pakistan, Northern Areas Programme, Gilgit. x+38 pp.154. Ibid.

81Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 2.36: Nullahs in Gilgit


According to data obtained from the DistrictHeadquarter Hospital in Gilgit, for the year1999, more than 60% of reported illnesseswere related to poor water and sanitationconditions. In a survey conducted, that sameyear, by the Water and Sanitation ExtensionProgram (WASEP)155, all five water complexesin Gilgit were found to be highly contaminatedwith fecal matter. Water in the channels wasalso found to be contaminated by activitiessuch as washing clothes and utensils.

l Development PressureClusters of residential dwellings, known asmohallahs or khots in the local language, aresituated near the watercourses, and newdevelopments are also springing up close tothe nullahs because they provide easy accessto water. This development is not only leadingto more pressure on the water resources ofthe city, it also blocks the area around thenullahs, which has the potential to bedeveloped for recreational purposes for theinhabitants and also for tourists.

Priority Interventionsl Revising Customary Water–Rights

The system of water distribution based onexisting water rights is no longer sustainablein Gilgit. The increase in the population andthe growth of the city has resulted in a greaterdemand for water, which cannot be regulatedthrough traditional water-sharing methods.Local government should take ownership ofthe water-distribution system and bring theinhabitants of the city on board. The existingwater-rights should be documented andrevised, in a transparent manner, to makewater distribution in the city fair and equitablefor all of the city’s inhabitants.

l Improving the Water Distribution Systemand Introducing User ChargesThe water-distribution system in the cityshould be equipped with a metering systemthat is visible to all. The daily volumes andtimings of water distributed to different partsin the city should be documented and madepublic knowledge. This would help end agrowing perception, in the city, of unfair waterdistribution.

Gradually, user charges should also beintroduced for the repair, maintenance andexpansion of the water-distribution system.

The existing water-filtration plants need to beexpanded and new plants need to be built toensure the treatment of water beforedistribution.

l Recreational ParksLand running along the nullahs should bedeveloped into recreational zones with picnicspots, walking tracks and hiking trails. Noconstruction other than for recreationaldevelopment should be allowed here. TheKargah Nullah should be declared arecreational area, as rare animals, such as theMarkhor, can be spotted there.

155. Ibid.


Exhibit 2.37: Photographs of some of the Nullahs in Gilgit

A scenic road along the Naupura Nullah, which flows into Kargah Nullah. The Kargah Buddha can also be spotted from here.

The Kargah Nullah.


An old footbridge over the Kargah Nullah

A water plant on the Jutial Nullah.


Water stored inside the water plant.

Danyor Nullah.


Exhibit 2.38: Summary of the Environmental Values, Barriers to Realization and Priority Interventions of Nullahs in GilgitEnvironmental Feature

Nullahs

Environmental Value

• Primary Source ofDrinking and IrrigationWater

• Habitat for RiverineEcology

• Habitat for Birds andTerrestrial Fauna andFlora

• Tourist Attraction andRecreational Value


• Customary Water-Rights

• Dilapidated WaterDistributionInfrastructure

• Waste Disposal into theNullahs

• Development Pressure


• Revising CustomaryWater-Rights

• Improving the WaterDistribution System andIntroducing UserCharges

• Recreational Parks

2.4.5 Air QualityThe IUCN and the Space and Upper AtmosphereResearch Commission (SUPARCO)156 conductedan air quality survey, in Gilgit, in 1998.157 Accordingto the survey, the air quality in Gilgit is relativelybetter than the air quality of the main cities ofPakistan especially Islamabad, Lahore andKarachi. However, the survey also reported thatburning waste in open air, excessive deforestation,and traffic pollution is leading to higher levels ofcarbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulfuroxides in the atmosphere. During a site visit by theHBP team, in September 2013, local womenreported an increase in respiratory illnesses andskin allergies among children and pregnantwomen. Exhibit 2.39 shows photographs of Open-Air Waste Dumping and Burning in KonudasExhibit 2.40 provides a summary of theEnvironmental Values (EVs), barriers to realizationand priority interventions of the air quality in Gilgit.

Environmental Values of Clean AirClean air leads to improved health, saved lives,improved environmental conditions, and increasedeconomic welfare.l Saves Expenditure on Health and Increases

Economic WelfareCleaner air leads to better health andproductivity. Air-pollution-related healthproblems, such as chronic bronchitis, acute

bronchitis, acute myocardial infarction,asthma exacerbation, hospital admissions,lost school days, and lost workdays areavoided.

l Improves Ecological FunctionsThe environmental effects of air pollutioninclude damage to plants and long-termforest health, soil nutrient deterioration, andthe accumulation of toxins in the food chain,including toxins in rivers and nullahs thatresult in harm to fish and other aquatic life.

l Source of Tourist AttractionTourists who visit Gilgit look forward to itsclean air. Poor air quality in the form ofpollution-caused haze will destroy Gilgit’sstatus as a tourist destination. Any parks,recreational areas and tourist developments inthe city center will be rendered poor in qualitydue to dust, smoke and smog.

Barriers to Realization of Environmental Valuesl Open–Air Incineration of Waste

There is no solid-waste-management systemin the city. Currently, the mechanism forhandling waste in Gilgit is either to dump it inthe river or to incinerate it through open-airburning on specific waste burning siteslocated on the riverbanks. About 50% of totalwaste generated in the city is dumped or

156. SUPARCO is Pakistan’s national space agency mandated to conduct research and development in space science and space technology. Itworks towards developing indigenous capabilities in space technology and promoting space applications for the socioeconomic uplift of thecountry. www.suparco.gov.pk

157. Raza, H. 2003. Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development Background Paper: IUCN Pakistan, Northern Areas Programme, Gilgit.x+38 pp.


burned in open air, while 14% is collected bythe Municipal Corporation (MC).158 Burningwaste produces harmful fumes that polluteand reduce the air quality of Gilgit.

Burning waste in open air along withexcessive deforestation and traffic pollution isleading to higher levels of carbon dioxide,carbon monoxide and sulfur oxides in theatmosphere. During a site visit by the HBPteam, in September 2013, local womenreported an increase in respiratory illnessesand skin allergies among children andpregnant women.

l Rise in TrafficThere is no public transport system in the city,which means people are increasinglydependent on their private vehicles. Theincreasing number of vehicles is resulting in

smog, particularly during rush hours. The cityis also susceptible to air pollution from heavyvehicle traffic on the Karakoram Highway(KKH).

Priority Interventionsl Banning Open-Air Waste Incineration

Open-air waste incineration within theboundaries of the city should be immediatelybanned. Strict fines should be enforced onoffenders.

l Enforcement of Air-Quality StandardsStrict air-quality standards must be enforcedin the city. These standards should cover newplants and factories, in the city, which shouldbe required to install modern pollution-controltechnology. The standards should also covercars, motorcycles, trucks and other motorizedvehicles used in the city.

Exhibit 2.39: Photographs of Open-Air Waste Dumping and Burning in Konudas

Smoke from open-air waste incineration in Konudas can be seen at a distance from Sonikot.

158. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, UN–Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.


Massive open waste dump in Konudas seen from Sonikot.

The open waste dump in Konudas


The smoke forming a lingering layer across the city.

Smoke from Konudas spreading across the city.


Smoke from Konudas spreading across the city.

The open waste dump in Konudas.


Exhibit 2.40: Summary of the Environmental Values, Barriers to Realization and Priority Interventions of Air Quality in GilgitEnvironmental Feature

Air Quality

Environmental Value

• Saves Expenditure onHealth and IncreasesEconomic Welfare

• Improves EcologicalFunctions

• Source of TouristAttraction


• Open-Air Incineration ofWaste

• Rise in Traffic


• Banning Open-AirWaste Incineration

• Enforcement of Air-Quality Standards

2.5 Environmental Values of Socioeconomic-Environment FeaturesThe Environmental Valuations (EVs), barriers torealization and priority interventions of each of thesocioeconomic-environment features of the cityare identified and discussed in the followingsections under the following broad categories:

l Multiculturalism in the city,

l The city center,

l Thoroughfares in the city, and,

l Cultural heritage and recreational areas.

2.5.1 Multiculturalism in GilgitGilgit-Baltistan (GB) is a Muslim majority provincewith a two percent non-Muslim minority. About54% of the total population of Gilgit District isShia, Ismailis constitute 27% of the population,and the remaining 19% are Sunni.159 Incidents ofreligious and ethnic violence in Gilgit havewitnessed a rise over the last 10 years. From 1988to 2010, 117 incidents of sectarian murders havebeen registered.160

Gilgit has the highest rate of migration in GB.161

Rural people and residents from the neighboringcommunities of Oshkandas, Nomal, Jutial andother suburban settlements migrate to Gilgit for itsbetter education and health facilities, and greateremployment prospects. Most of the educatedpeople in the province seek employment in the

health and education sectors in Gilgit. Residentsof rural Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Punjabmigrate to Gilgit in search of businessopportunities.

Seasonal migration trends are also noted in Gilgit.The winter season sees the highest rural-to-urbanmigration because employment opportunities forrural people, during this time, decline sharply.Most of the young rural boys work in hotels andrestaurants in Gilgit during winter. There arearound 22 hotels and about 20 restaurants in thecity.162 Rural residents also migrate further south ofGilgit to other parts of Pakistan, during winter, insearch of employment opportunities. Developingdiverse business opportunities will ensure jobseven during the winter months. Exhibit 2.41provides a summary of the EVs, barriers torealization and priority interventions ofmulticulturalism in Gilgit.

Environmental Values of Multiculturalism

l Economic Growth from Peace and StabilitySectarian harmony in the city will lead topeace. Peace and stability makes it easier toplan for the future development of the city byconsidering the most efficient and equitabledistribution of resources. Such planning anddevelopment creates more jobs and generateseconomic growth for all of the city’sinhabitants.

159. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, UN–Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.160. Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT). 2011. Sectarian Conflict in Gilgit Baltistan. Islamabad: PILDAT.161. Raza, H. 2003. Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development Background Paper: IUCN Pakistan, Northern Areas Programme, Gilgit.

x+38 pp.162. Ibid.


Harmony among the different communities inGilgit will ensure that the largest possibleproportion of its inhabitants is able toparticipate in its economic activities. This willhelp boost the local economy.

Tourists are deterred from visiting places thatare known to be unsafe. Gilgit has already losta lot of potential visitors due to the recentincidents of violence there and also due to thegeneral security situation in the entire country.Promoting harmony among the communitieswill help make Gilgit a safe place for touristsfrom around the world to visit. The entire citywill be able to reap from the revenuegenerated from this sector.

l Center for Inter-Faith Harmony and

EducationGilgit can advertise itself to the rest ofPakistan and the world as a place of inter-faithand cultural harmony. The city can boast thefact that, in a short trip to the city, visitors willbe able to interact with different faiths andcultures. Events that showcase the diversity ofthe cultures of GB can be in the form offestivals and exhibitions with the entire citygetting involved. Gradually, Gilgit will be ableto make a name for itself for academicreasons as well. Scholars and academicsconducting research on religion oranthropology would be attracted to the city.

l Becoming the ‘Middleman’ for TouristsBy showcasing itself as a one-stop destinationfor exploring all the diversity of cultures in theentire Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Gilgit can becomethe first stop for all tourists planning to gofurther north. Gilgit can become the‘information center’ for all tourists entering theprovince. Here, they will be able to find outabout everything on offer in other parts of GB.Tour guides and operators from other parts ofthe region can open up their offices in Gilgitwhere they can sell their tours to tourists whomay not have yet planned their entire trip.

In this way, tourists planning to visit GB neednot sign up with middlemen or hotels inIslamabad or other parts of Pakistan. They willbe able to visit Gilgit and plan their trip fromthe city, which will offer a catalogue ofdifferent packages. In this way, the city will beable to cut out the ‘middlemen’ and generateextra revenue for itself.


l UnemploymentAlthough the economy of Gilgit has grownover the last few years, due to developmentson the KKH, it has been unable to keep pacewith its growing population. For this reasonthere is a lot of unemployment in the city,particularly among its youth. This drives upcrime, which sometimes takes the form ofsectarian acts of violence. Such acts createtension among the different communities inthe city, which then begin seeking to liveseparately from each other.

l Physical Segregation of Communities in

the CityDue to the acts of violence, in the city, carriedout along sectarian lines, differentcommunities end up segregating themselvesfrom others. This segregation has given rise tothe ‘no-go areas’ that have sprung up acrossthe city, where the inhabitants belonging toone sectarian or ethnic group will not bewelcome in an area predominantly occupiedby another group.

l Un-Equitable and Non-Transparent

Distribution of ResourcesDue to such physical segregations among thedifferent sects and ethnicities in the city, theequitable distribution of resources, such aswater, becomes difficult. This leads to furthertensions among the different communities.Adhering to the old traditions of water sharing,such as the customary “water-rights,” meansthe city is unable to cope with its increasingpopulation and rising segregation.


Priority Interventionsl Promoting Mixed Communities through

Shared ResourcesThe government in Gilgit must provideincentives for communities to interact with oneanother around shared resources. Forexample, water-distribution tanks should becentrally located, and schools and collegesmust be designed and located in central orshared areas. Similarly, recreational areasshould also be designed in a way that bringsthe inhabitants of the city together.

l Public Awareness Campaigns HighlightingDividends of Community HarmonyThe government, political parties, religiousleaders, schools, and colleges must all getinvolved in a massive public awarenesscampaign to promote community harmony.The focus of these public awarenesscampaigns should be to highlight the negativeimpacts communal tensions have on all of thecity’s inhabitants and the benefits that are tobe gained from harmony.

2.5.2 City CentreThe geography and topography of towns andcities located in valleys has a strong influence onthe city layout. As such, there is normally always acity center that acts as a nucleus with thedevelopment of the rest of the city around it. InGilgit, the intersection of Shaheed-e-Millat andRaja Bazaar Roads is taken as its center ornucleus (Exhibit 2.42 and Exhibit 2.43). This is themain commercial hub of the city. Shops sell

kitchen goods, textiles, shoes, crockery, travelbags and souvenirs. Vendors with handcarts selljewelry, textiles, bags and shoes and aresometimes seen on roadsides. The city center isalso host to some administrative buildings, anairport, bus stands, historic settlements, openrecreation areas and a polo ground. Exhibit 2.44provides a summary of the EnvironmentalValuations (EVs), barriers to realization and priorityinterventions of the agricultural fields and grazingareas in Gilgit.

Environmental Values of the City Centrel Economic Engine of the City

The city center is Gilgit’s commercial hub.Offices, shops, restaurants, hotels, andbazaars are all located here and generate a loteconomic activity. The diversity of the entirecity and, potentially, of all of Gilgit can bewitnessed, here, in the form of differentkitchen goods, textiles, shoes, crockery, travelbags and souvenirs. Vendors with handcartsselling jewelry, textiles, bags and shoes aresometimes seen on roadsides.

l Tourism CentralThe city centre has the potential of becomingthe central attraction for tourists and visitorsto the city. Youth hostels, restaurants, tourguides, and souvenir shops can be locatedhere, where tourists can choose from aplethora of different activities.

The city centre can also become a site forexhibitions, cultural parades and festivals,

Exhibit 2.41: Summary of the Environmental Values, Barriers to Realization and Priority Interventions of Multiculturalism in GilgitSocioeconomicEnvironment Features

Multiculturalism in Gilgit

Environmental Value

• Economic Growth fromPeace and Stability

• Center for Inter-FaithHarmony andEducation

• Becoming the‘Middleman’ for Tourists


• Unemployment

• Physical Segregation ofCommunities in the City

• Inequitable and Non-Transparent Distributionof Resources


• Promoting MixedCommunities throughShared Resources

• Public AwarenessCampaigns HighlightingDividends ofCommunity Harmony


highlighting the beauty and diversity of theentire province. The polo grounds in the citycenter have the potential to be the biggesttourist attraction, hosting exciting and thrillingpolo matches for the audience.

The city centre is also home to the only threehouses of worship in the entire city. Touristscan also be welcomed to each one of thesefor informative tours.

l Place of Inter-Community InteractionThe economic activities of the city centre willalso ensure all the communities interact witheach other. This will promote inter-communalharmony.

Barriers to Realization of Environmental Valuel Lack of Access to the City Centre

There is no public transport system in the city.Private Suzuki wagons operate as asubstitute. Existing wagon stands in the citycenter are inadequate in facilitating transportfrom different parts of the city.

An influx of private and official vehicles duringrush hours causes traffic congestion in the citycenter. A line of vehicles is parked along theside of roads in the city center due toinadequate parking. This narrows the lanesavailable for other vehicles moving around thecity.

There are few existing footpaths in the citycenter and not all of them are pedestrian-friendly. There are no bicycle–friendly tracks orpaths.

l Sporadic and Uncontrolled ExpansionSporadic and uncontrolled expansion ofcommercial areas and general stores in thecity centre have resulted in haphazardstructures. Government offices andcommercial buildings seem to be mixed andthe activities related to both conflict, creatingfurther mismanagement of the city centre.

Commercial plazas are five-to-six-storeybuildings, but there is no provision for parking.

Haphazard drainage in the city center resultsin water being blocked and also in high watertables in areas situated at the tail of the city,such as in Kashrot, Majni Mohallah, Amphreyand at the Airport. The water table createsproblems for building and constructionprojects in these areas.

l Civil UnrestThe city center becomes a place of protestand shuts down each time there are sectarianor political conflicts in the city.

Priority Interventionsl Separate Municipal Management for the

City CentreFor any future development in Gilgit, the citycentre should be treated as a separate zonewith its own building regulations andmunicipal management authority. The citycentre municipality should comprise of electedrepresentatives from all communities.

l Planning and Design of City CentreInfrastructureThe city centre should be developed as aseparate entity with an infrastructurespecifically designed to cater to the functionsa city centre is meant to fulfil. A system fordrainage, sewerage, waste disposal andparking in the city center should be calculatedbased on the maximum potential.

l Promote Public Transport and BicycleLanes into the City CentreThe narrow and windy roads in the city centreshould be protected since they add to itsaesthetic character. These should be turnedinto pedestrian and bicycle-only zones. Roadsfor use by vehicles should circumvent the citycentre.

l Banning Entry of Private Vehicles into the

City CentreVehicle-free zones should be created in thecity centre, where the entry of motorizedvehicles is banned at certain times of the dayand week.


Exhibit 2.42: Scenes from Gilgit City Center

The Raja Bazaar Road in the City Center with a Mosque at the end.

An open drain next to the footpath.


More open drains in the city center.

Vehicles parked on the side constricting the road.

97Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 2.43: Gilgit City Center


Exhibit 2.44: Summary of the Environmental Values, Barriers to Realization andPriority Interventions of Gilgit City Centre SocioeconomicEnvironment Features

City Centre

Environmental Value

• Economic Engine of theCity

• Tourism Central

• Place of Inter-Community Interaction


• Lack of Access to theCity Centre

• Sporadic andUncontrolled Expansion

• Civil Unrest


• Separate MunicipalManagement for theCity Centre

• Planning and Design ofCity CentreInfrastructure

• Promote PublicTransport and BicycleLanes into the CityCentre

• Banning Entry of PrivateVehicles into the CityCentre

2.5.3 ThoroughfaresThe Karakoram Highway (KKH), constructed byPakistan Army in 1966163, is located approximately10 km from Gilgit and connects it with other largetowns in the region, such as Chilas, Dasu,Besham, Mansehra, and Abbotabad. It alsoprovides a connection with the federal capital inthe south. On the northern side, KKH connectsGilgit to Hunza and Sust, and extends to theChinese cities of Tashkurgan, Upal and Kashgar inthe Xinjiang province. Gilgit is the only large urbantown within a 450 km radius, making it the tradehub of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and a vital tradecorridor between Pakistan and China.

Three main roads link the western part of Gilgitwith the eastern part:l River View Roadl University Road andl Shaheed-e-Millat Road

Six bridges cross the Gilgit River and link thenorthern part of the city with the southern part.

One of these bridges, the Gilgit Bridge, is asuspension bridge that spans 182 m and is only2m wide.164 This bridge is wide enough for onejeep to pass at a time and is located at the end ofthe traditional bazaar. The total length of all roadsin the city is 224 km.165

The number of vehicles on the city’s roads hasincreased with time, while the width of the roadshas generally remained the same. Most roads aregenerally narrow and traffic obstructions arecommon during morning and afternoon hours,especially around offices and school areas.166 Insome areas, like Karimabad, the width of the roadis between 25 and 40 ft167, which makes itinaccessible to emergency-service vehicles, suchas ambulances and fire engines.168 Exhibit 2.45illustrates the layout of Gilgit’s road network.Exhibit 2.46 shows photographs of differentthoroughfares in Gilgit. Exhibit 2.47 provides asummary of the EVs, barriers to realization andpriority interventions of these thoroughfares.

163. The World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Government of Pakistan. 2010. Gilgit Baltistan Economic Report–Broadening the Transformation.164. Pakistan Urban Observatory. 2011. City Profile – Gilgit.165. Observation made using Land Use Map in Exhibit 2.3.166. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP from 16 September to 18 September 2013. This was to take the key stakeholders

in Gilgit City on board with the SEA of Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholders involvedgovernment officials, secretaries, ministers and representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.

167. Pakistan Urban Observatory. (2011). City Profile – Gilgit. Retrieved November 20, 2013, from Urban UN–Habitat:http://urban.unhabitat.org.pk/Region/GilgitBaltistan/Gilgit.aspx

168. Ibid.

99Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 2.45: Thoroughfares in Gilgit


Exhibit 2.46: Photographs of different Thoroughfares in Gilgit

A neighbourhood street in Gilgit

University Road; a regional road with encroachment of shops on the sides.


More open drains in the city center.

A neighbourhood road connecting to an intra-city road.


An intra-city road in the city center.

A neighbourhood road.


An intra-city road leading towards Barmas.

Shaheed-e-Millat Road, a regional road.


The Karakoram Highway from Hunza towards Gilgit.

Environmental Values of Thoroughfaresl Regional Connectivity

After the inauguration of the KarakoramHighway (KKH), the increase in trade betweenChina and Pakistan resulted in many of thecity’s inhabitants becoming directly orindirectly involved in border trade, hotelingand transport. Better road connectivity canalso make Gilgit accessible to these marketsyear-round, ensuring prices of food itemsremain stable throughout the year. Good roadsalso make the city accessible for tourists.

l Aesthetic ValueThe narrow and winding lanes throughout thecity promote its aesthetic beauty. These laneshave the potential of being converted intobicycle tracks, providing the inhabitants easyaccess to all parts of the city. These can alsobecome a mode of recreation for tourists andtheir families to venture across the city bybike.

Barriers to Realization of Environmental Valuesl Traffic Choke Points

An increase in private-vehicle ownership andthe poor planning of thoroughfares havecreated choke points around the city center.Wider roads acting as bye-passes around thecity centre are being encroached on bycommercial activities that have sprung upright next to these roads. Residential houseson bye-passes have front entrances on theseroads, which results in barriers to free trafficflow when vehicles enter or leave theseresidential properties.

l Widening of Narrow LanesInstead of building wider roads around the citycenter, the narrow lanes going through it arebeing widened. This is having the effect ofonly letting more traffic flow through the cityrather than easing congestion here. It alsomakes the city center less pedestrian-friendly.Sectarian Strife


When protests take place across the city,some of the major roads are blocked.

Priority Interventionsl Regulating Road Levels in Different Parts

of the CityNarrow roads in the city should be convertedinto pedestrian and bike-friendlythoroughfares. The use of these lanes bymotorized vehicles should be discouraged.

These roads should be allowed to havecommercial buildings situated right next tothem.

Wider roads, on the other hand, should have acertain length of “right–of–way” on sideswhere no buildings may be erected or nocommercial activities may be allowed to takeplace. These roads should be built in such away as to divert traffic around the city center.

Exhibit 2.47: Summary of the Environmental Values, Barriers to Realization and Priority Interventions of Thoroughfares in GilgitSocioeconomicEnvironment Features

Thoroughfares

Environmental Value

• Regional Connectivity

• Aesthetic Value


• Traffic Choke Points

• Widening of NarrowLanes

• Sectarian Strife


• Regulating Road Levelsin Different Parts of theCity


2.5.4 Cultural Heritage and Parks

There are numerous sites around the city that are

unique to the heritage of Gilgit. These include

ancient artifacts, such as Buddhist scrolls and

engravings, and old government buildings with

their unique architecture. Together, these are the

city’s legacy, inherited from past generations,

which should be maintained in the present and

bestowed for the benefit of future generations of

the city, of Pakistanis and the rest of the world.

Gilgit also has a few parks, such as the Chinar

Bagh, which covers an area of 8.5 acres and the

City Park, which is located next to the airport. The

polo grounds in the city are used to hold polo

matches and other traditional festivals and have

the potential of becoming a major source of tourist

attraction in the region.

Exhibit 2.48 is a map that illustrates the locations

of cultural and recreational sites in Gilgit.

Photographs of some of these sites are shown in

Exhibit 2.49. The Kargah Buddha is carved into a

cliff at the mouth of the valley in Kargah, and the

Buddhist manuscripts found in Gilgit are among

the oldest manuscripts in the world and are

significant in Buddhist studies and in the evolution

of Asian and Sanskrit literature. Exhibit 2.50

provides a summary of the EVs, barriers to

realization and priority interventions of Gilgit’s

cultural heritage and parks.

Environmental Values

l Economic, Aesthetic, Historic, Educational,

Scientific, Spiritual, Social and

Recreational

Recreational and cultural areas in a city have a

number of environmental values. In Gilgit, the

recreational areas are not only important for

the health and well-being of its inhabitants,

they are also invaluable in promoting

communal harmony there. Recreational parks

across the city have the potential of offering

unique experiences, such as rafting and

fishing, which will help attract tourists.

Gilgit’s cultural heritage is unique in terms of

the different time periods and diversity of

cultures it represents. Gilgit hosts ancient

Buddhist scrolls and carvings, which alone

can be a source of attraction for Buddhists

from around the world. Old British settlements

built during the colonial period stand out for

their architecture and are a part of the city’s

heritage. These, along with the cultural and

religious diversity Gilgit can offer a visitor in

one place, also have the potential to make it a

center of anthropological scholarship.

Barriers to Realization of Environmental Values

l Deterioration of Old Buildings due to Non-

maintenance

l Lack of Investment in Maintaining the Cultural

Heritage of the City


l Legal Protection to all Buildings, Places and

Structures in the City with Heritage Value

l Investment in Conservation Programs

107Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 2.48: Cultural Heritage and Recreational Spots in Gilgit


Exhibit 2.49: Photographs of the Recreational and Heritage Spots in the City

A polo ground at the city center.

Another view of the polo ground at the city center.


An old British cemetery in the city center.

The famous Kargah Buddha wall carving.


Exhibit 2.50: Summary of the Environmental Values, Barriers to Realization and Priority Interventions of Cultural Heritage and Parks in GilgitSocioeconomicEnvironment Features

Cultural Heritage andParks

Environmental Value

• Economic, Aesthetic,Historic, Educational,Scientific, Spiritual,Social and Recreational


• Deterioration of OldBuildings due to Non-maintenance

• Lack of Investment inMaintaining the CulturalHeritage of the City


• Legal Protection to allBuildings, Places andStructures in the Citywith Heritage Value

• Investment inConversationProgrammes


The Conceptual Master Plan (CMP) developed in this section builds on thephysical and structural—the town-planning—aspects of the priorityinterventions developed in Sections 2.4 and 2.5. It aims to provide thegraphical demarcations and boundary allocations of the various features ofGilgit and suggests avenues and strategies for future growth. The CMPensures that there is sufficient land to meet the long-term population andeconomic-growth needs of the city, while providing a high quality livingenvironment for its inhabitants. It is designed to act as an outline for the futurecomprehensive Plan, which will be developed by the Gilgit DevelopmentAuthority (GDA). It will cover the following aspects:l Land-use strategiesl Traffic managementl Solid-waste infrastructurel Urban economic and socio–cultural empowermentl Adapting to climate change andl Future expansion strategies.

3.1 Objective of the CMPThe objective of the CMP is to clarify the vision and direction for the futuredevelopment of the city. The vision was established through a combination ofstakeholder consultations and expert analyses of a team of town planners andenvironmental experts who conducted the pilot SEA study. Elaborating on thatvision, the CMP aims to provide detailed recommendations to steer futuredevelopment in the city along the following social, environmental andeconomic objectives:

Sociall To prepare Gilgit for its role as the center of administrative activity for all

of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

l To develop Gilgit in a manner that brings positive change to the lives of itsinhabitants.

l To recognize the religious, ethnic and socio-cultural diversity of the city’sinhabitants and to develop it in a way that promotes social inclusion,harmony and the principles of equity in the distribution of all the resourcesthe city has to offer.

3. Conceptual Master Plan


Environmentl To prepare the city according to a climatically

sustainable urban plan that anticipates theeffects of climate change.

l To bring attention to the existingenvironmental features of the city that requireredevelopment and upgrading. Moreover, toidentify avenues for developing additionalresources.

l To provide environment-friendly civicamenities that will facilitate opportunities forthe protection and sustenance of the naturalenvironment.

Economicl To facilitate financial empowerment of the city

by developing avenues for revenuegeneration.

l To develop the city in a manner thatfacilitates a sustainable rural economythrough better regional transit connections.

l To prepare the city to fully benefit from theurban economic opportunities that wouldarise from the regional, national and globaldevelopments surrounding Gilgit.

3.2 Scope of the CMPThe scope of work for the CMP includes thefollowing:l Establishing the basis for planning, such as

population growth rates and targets foreconomic and social development.

l Investigating existing or future boundariesplanned for the city; identifying any restrictedareas or existing cultural, touristic andreligious buffer zones in place.

l Establishing the nature of the restrictions, ifany, and identifying the regulatory regimegoverning zoning.

l Addressing management of waste water,including sewage, sewage treatment andrecycling.

l Addressing the management of solid waste,including recycling and the location oflandfills.

l Identifying the spatial coverage for the futurePlan and recommending new boundaries andbuffer zones, if required, based on theexisting conditions and the futurerequirements for the expansion of the city .

l Identifying traffic corridors and addressingthe integration of public transport and masstransit within the city.

l Investigating the existing water-supplysources and providing a strategy andinfrastructure for the future distribution andmanagement of the same.

l Investigating the existing power-supplyinfrastructure and distribution and providingrecommendations for future expansion ifrequired.

l Identifying sites of cultural value, natureconservation, and recreational importancethat require protection and development.

l Identifying resettlement requirements, if any,and providing strategies for the same.

l Addressing the possibility of urban renewal inthe oldest parts of the city.

3.3 Design Parameters for the CMPThe design parameters for the CMP are based onpredicting the user requirements of the city by theyear 2025. The future demand will be thefundamental impetus behind any futuredevelopment. These parameters, therefore,become central in defining the final shape of theCMP.

The most important design parameter is thepopulation. The CMP has been developed toconsider the population projections for Gilgit up tothe year 2025. This projection will have thegreatest bearing on the outcomes of the CMP.Since the projections will be based onassumptions, three scenarios will be generatedusing ‘low’, ‘medium’ and ‘high’ growth rates(Section 3.5). All development aspects of the city,including future demand for transportationnetworks; sewerage systems; water supplies;education and health facilities will be based onthese projections.


Other design parameters were selected based onexpected developments that stem from Gilgit’snew role as the capital city of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).The demographic growth and population influxwill come from civic administrators, commercialinvestors and migrants from other parts of GBand the rest of Pakistan who seek commercialand employment opportunities in local industries.A gradual increase in tourist activity in GB, overtime, will also contribute to an increasing influx oftourists during the summer months. Based onthese assumptions, the regional role and functionof Gilgit, as a city, is expected to change in thefollowing ways:l Gilgit will replace Islamabad as a transit

center for tourist-related activity in themountainous north of Pakistan.

l It will become an economic headquarters ofGB province.

l It will develop into a regional transit corridorconnecting Pakistan with China.

l There will be a synergistic redistribution ofrural and urban space within the city.

l Gilgit will become a hub for higher educationwithin the GB region.

These changes will affect various aspects of thecity, such as housing, transit systems, tourism,education, health and governance, which aresome of the important design parameters for theCMP. Exhibit 3.1 lists all the design parametersand breaks them down into the environmental,social and economic aspects they are linked to.

Exhibit 3.1: Design Parameters for the Conceptual Strategic Master Plan No

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

Environment

Pleasant living conditions

Environment-friendly systems

Conservationof indigenous floraand fauna

Community participation indecision-making processes

Strategies to protectendangered environment

Educational city to promote acosmopolitan environment

Facilitate traditional culturalactivity with required spaces

Improve quality of livingthrough architectural guidelines

Develop physical connectionswith other cities of GB

Demarcate urban, peri-urbanand peripheral boundary

Environmental and constructionbylaws

New focus on the Environment

Social

Integrated living environment

Cohesive opportunity for inter-community linkage

Community integration

Communal spaces andsettlements providing interaction

Exposure to regional andInternational activities

Facilitate future hub of education(university city)

Facilitate local culture throughcommunity development

Basic health servicesinfrastructure (clinics) andfacilities at a regional scale.

Gilgit as a transit center for GB

Conserve natural beauty of thesurroundings

Public participation processinstitutionalized

Cohesive center for GB

Economic

Providing services/facilities withinwalking distance

Incorporation of local transportsystems

Revenue generation throughcomprehensive land-use planning

Local industry

Mass production or

Heavy industry

Private (Small-scale communitydevelopment)

Promote local crafts throughvocational training

Promote local and regionaldestinations

Facilitate hierarchical educationalset up

Cultural activities as a source ofrevenue generation

Bank on local environment andclimate

Promote Gilgit as a market townwith national and internationallinkages

Sustainable forests, drinking-water streams

Gilgit as an economic zone

Facilitate international economicties


169. The fifth and latest nationwide survey by Government of Pakistan was conducted in 1998.Pakistan Census Organization–Government ofPakistan (PCO–GoP).(1998):PCO, Statistics Division

3.4 MethodologyThe methodology used to prepare the CMPincluded the following activities:l Literature reviewl Forecastingl Strategy plan evolutionl Evaluation of spatial growth optionsl Identifying hurdles in the implementation of

the Master Plan

These activities are explained in the followingsections.

3.4.1 Literature ReviewData compiled during Phase 1 of the SEA wasreviewed and the relevant data for the CMP wasextracted and organized. Additional informationwas compiled from secondary resources on thelatest population figures and growth trends forGilgit so as to forecast the population of the cityfor the year 2025.

3.4.2 ForecastingThe latest population statistics on Gilgit date backto the 1998 national census, which is a decadeand half old. To compensate for the lack of data,unofficial population figures for the populationgrowth rate were used to forecast Gilgit’spopulation for the year 2025. While forecasting,the following national and internationaldevelopments that have affected Gilgit’spopulation were taken into account:l 2005 – Earthquake 8 October (see Section

2.1.7)l 2009 – Self-autonomy (Gilgit-Baltistan

Empowerment and Self-Governance Order2009)

l 2010 – Attabad Lake formation (see Section2.1.7)

l 2010 – National level floods (see Section2.1.7)

l 2011/12 – Sectarian strife (see Section 2.3.3)

These events, along with the prospects of betteremployment, contributed to an increase in in-migration to Gilgit from Hunza and other parts of

GB. In the future, Gilgit’s recently acquired statusas a provincial capital will result in increaseddevelopment in the city, thereby attracting morepeople. Other national developments, such as theKasghar–Gwadar Economic and Transit Corridor,future plans for railway lines and improved roadinfrastructure, will add to the population.

3.4.3 Strategy Plan EvolutionVarious components of urban operations andamenities, such as transport and infrastructurerequirements, were analyzed quantitatively, andintangible aspects, such as social and culturalnorms, were analyzed qualitatively. Following theanalyses, different development strategies weredevised. Different combinations of the proposeddevelopment strategies were weighed and aworkable balance identified. The balance formsthe basis of the different spatial growth optionsfor the city.

3.4.4 Evaluation of Spatial Growth OptionsOn the basis of the year 2025 population forecastand proposed development strategies for the city,different options for the utilization of the landmassof Gilgit were developed. These options werebased on information from field surveys,topographical maps and existing infrastructureplans.

3.4.5 Identifying Hurdles in the Implementationof the Master PlanAt times, events and circumstances hinder theeffective implementation of a master plan. InPakistan, master planning exercises have notbeen successful for a variety of reasons. Thesereasons are also analyzed and included in theCMP exercise in order to benefit the end users ofthis report and to ensure the effectiveimplementation of the CMP.

3.5 Design Population and Cohort AnalysisPopulation is the total number of people of all ages,living in a defined location at a particular point intime. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, thecountry’s total population was 146.5 million169. A


170. World bank , “Population growth annual,” http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.GROW (accessed November 27,2013)171. Pakistan Census Organization–Government of Pakistan (PCO–GoP).(1998).District census report of Gilgit, Islamabad: PCO, Statistics Division172. Professional Development Centre North (PDCN), 2013, Population of GB, Aga Khan University, Institute of Educational Development

(AKU–IED)173. Ibid174. S. Qutub, Ayub : Gilgit Master Plan, (Pakistan Environmental Planning and Architectural Consultants, 1977)

population projection is an estimated calculationof the number of people expected to inhabit aparticular place at a future date, based on data onthe current population size and the expectednatural-growth trends. These trends includebirths, deaths, fertility rates, occurrences ofcalamities or natural hazards; politicaldevelopments, and migration. Populationprojections are set on a “conditional” future.These projections are a useful tool for policydialogue and programme planning. They helpstakeholders plan for the near and distant futureand identify potential issues for policy makers.

The population growth rate (PGR) is the increasein a region's population during a specified periodof time, usually one year, expressed as apercentage of the population at the start of thatperiod. It reflects the number of births and deathsduring the period as well as in- and out-migrationfigures. According to a World Bank report, theannual PGR of Pakistan has risen from 1.7%, in1998, to 3.7%, in 2012170. The PGR is not a staticelement and must be considered in detail. For theCMP, the conventional and direct method forpopulation projection is used. In this methodtrends, patterns and assumptions are studied todetermine high and low variables for thepopulation projection.

For part of the report, the “cohort method” isused for a detailed study on specific futurerequirements of the city to the year 2025. Thecohort analysis helps define options for broad

geographical approaches for the expansion of thecity and for future land-use designations,including major transportation corridors, for suchpurposes as commercial, business, education andleisure. Analyzing the different options leads tothe selection of a consolidated spatial growthoption for the city that will meet key developmentobjectives, such as sustainable economic growth,city center regeneration, the provision of qualityhousing, infrastructure, the promotion of viablecommunities, enhanced bio-diversity andimproved accessibility.

3.5.1 Existing Population TrendThe population statistics for this report are basedon the 1998 national census. The number ofpeople living in Gilgit, then, was 56,701171.However, this figure did not include the mozas ofDanyor and Sakwar, which for this SEA areconsidered part of Gilgit. According to the 1998census, the population for Danyor, which includesthe moza of Muhammadabad, was 18,095people, and the population of Sakwar, whichincludes the moza of Minawar, was 4,553172. Thepopulation projections were made based on thesum of these two figures and the 1998 figure forGilgit, which together come to 79,349 people. In1998, the population of the entire Gilgit Districtwas 243,324173. The growth rate of Gilgit—excluding Danyor and Sakwar—was 2.66%.According to the Gilgit Master Plan of 1977, thepopulation of the city that year was 23,556174 witha PGR of 3.4%. Exhibit 3.2 provides a summaryof the figures.

Exhibit 3.2: Population Count – Gilgit (1998 Census Data)Area Population

Gilgit District 243,324

Population of Gilgit without Danyor and Sakwar 56,701

Population of Danyor and Sakwar 22,648

Total 79,349

Average household size 8.1


According to the preliminary findings of a house-

listing exercise in Gilgit District, conducted in

2011 by the Government of Pakistan175, the

population of Gilgit city stood at 261,440. The

average growth rate of the entire district since

1998 was 4.4% and the total population of the

district multiplied 4.6 times from 1998 to 2011.

During this time, the average household size of

Gilgit increased to 8.6. Exhibit 3.3 provides a

summary of the statistics. Exhibit 3.4 provides a

comparison of population growth rates for Gilgit

District for selected years from 1981 to 2011.

Gilgit is the administrative and educational hub of

the province and attracts a constant flow of

immigrants from surrounding areas in Pakistan.

The main factors contributing to the attraction are

as follows:

l Economic – hope for better employment,

better food, better shelter, and for families to

have higher standards of living

l Social – better health care, better educational

opportunities

l Political – freedom from persecution, safety

l Environmental – flooding, landslides, and

natural calamities such as earthquakes

3.5.2 CMP Population Forecast for 2025

The population forecast for the city for the year

2025 was carried out in two parts. The time span

covered in the forecast was split between the

period from 1998 to 2013 and from 2014 to 2025.

The former is the base-year projection while the

latter is the future projection on which the CMP

was developed.

The forecast was based on the population figures

taken from the 1998 census—an official

government resource—and a 10% margin of error

was considered for the results. Since Danyor and

Sakwar are predominantly rural areas, two

separate PGRs were used for projecting the

population of the city: one for all the mozas of

Gilgit, excluding Danyor and Sakwar (‘Gilgit-

Urban’); and the other for the rural areas of

Danyor and Sakwar (‘Gilgit-Rural’), also within the

GDA boundary. The total projected population for

Gilgit in the CMP was the sum of the two

forecasts.

Gilgit-Urban

As Gilgit is located within a valley, there is limited

flat land available for growth. From 1998 to 2013,

the urban areas of Gilgit expanded towards its

Exhibit 3.3: Population Growth 2011Area Population

Population Growth Rate of Gilgit District 4.44 %

Average Household Size 8.6

Exhibit 3.4: Growth Rates for Gilgit District from 1981 to 2011 for selected yearsYear Growth Rate

1972 – (Gilgit Master Plan 1977) – Gilgit City 3.40%

1981 – (National Census) 4.44%

1998 – (National Census) – Gilgit City 2.66%

2011 – (House Listing Data) 3.54%

175. Abdul Sattar Khan, “AJK, Fata, GB, capital population goes up many a time”, The News International, April 08, 2012, Print Edition.


urban fringe and damaged the setting of the peri-

urban areas,176 eroding the clear demarcation of

the boundary between the city and the adjoining

rural areas. This has resulted in suburban land

being converted to urban land. Controlling such

growth in the future is addressed in the CMP.

Keeping in mind the 3.4% PGR for the city,

between 1972 and 1998, and the district PGR of

4.44%, from the 1998 census, a high PGR of 5%

was assumed for the 1998 to 2013 base-year

projections. Another reason for the high base-year

PGR is that the findings of the 2011 house

listing177 have not yet been verified by a final

report and do not account for forced migration as

a result of natural calamities, such as the Attabad

Lake incident, which took place in GB during the

same period.

For the future population projection, it was

predicted that Gilgit will experience an even

higher growth rate between the years 2014 and

2025. This will be due to the establishment of the

city as the region’s educational, financial,

industrial, tourist and trade hub. Therefore, a

higher PGR of 6% was used for the 2014 to 2025

future projections for the city.

Gilgit-Rural

For the rural areas of Danyor and Sakwar, which

fall under the GDA boundary, a lower PGR of

2.6% was used for the 1998 to 2013 base-year

projections, which is the same value as the 1998

PGR for the entire city. This estimate is

considered reasonable, considering the bulk of

the growth during that period was in the urban

and peri-urban areas of the city rather than in the

rural areas.

For the 2014 to 2025 future projections, a

relatively higher rate of 3% was applied, since the

areas that consist mainly of agricultural, pastoral

and riverside flood plains may experience

suburban expansion, as previously discussed.

Exhibit 3.5 lists the PGRs used for the base year

and future projections for Gilgit’s urban and rural

areas.

Based on these PGRs, Exhibit 3.6 and Exhibit 3.7

illustrate the base-year and future projected

population figures for the urban and rural areas of

the city. Exhibit 3.8 lists the projected population

figures with a 10% margin of error. Thus, for the

year 2025, all urban facilities and infrastructure,

such as water supply, transportation, sewerage

and electrical systems, offered in Gilgit would

have to provide for a population of approximately

331,000 people.

Exhibit 3.5: Growth Rates for Base Year and Future Projections of Gilgit’s PopulationArea Pop. Growth Rate

Gilgit–Urban

Base-Year Projection 1998–2013 5.0 %

Future Projection 2014–2025 6.0 %

Gilgit–Rural (Danyor and Sakwar)

Base-Year Projection 1998–2013 2.6 %

Future 2014–2025 3.0 %

176. The areas immediately adjoining the city’s urban areas and between these urban areas and the rural areas that provide a small buffer betweenthe two.

177. Abdul Sattar Khan, “AJK, Fata, GB, capital population goes up many a time”, The News International, April 08, 2012, Print Edition.


Exhibit 3.6: Population Projection of Gilgit-Rural (Danyor and Sakwar)

Exhibit 3.7: Population Projection for Gilgit-Urban

Exhibit 3.8: Projected Population 2025Area Population

Gilgit-Urban-2025 274,773

Gilgit-Rural (Danyor and Sakwar)-2025 55,951

Total 330,724


Exhibit 3.9: The Proportion of Inhabitants of Gilgit Belonging to Different Sects

3.5.3 Population Trend Analysis – CohortAnalysisA trend analysis of the population projections wasundertaken using the Cohort Method. A cohort isa group of people who share a commoncharacteristic over a certain period of time. Ananalysis of the same focuses on the activities andcharacteristics of one or a number of identifiedcohorts. It helps in identifying potential trends thatwill develop in a city as it grows to the projectedfigures, thereby allowing speculation of futureneeds and strategies. The cohort analysis carriedout for the CMP was based primarily on the datagathered by a socioeconomic survey of the city in2011 by the UN–Habitat.

Religion and EthnicityMore than 97% of the population in Gilgit isMuslim and belongs mainly to the Shia, Sunni and

Ismaili sects. As shown in Exhibit 3.9, 54% areShia, 27% are Ismaili and 19% are Sunni 178. All ofthese groups live in close proximity and there isconstant ethnic tension among them. From 1998to 2010, 117 incidents of sectarian violence thatled to fatalities were registered.179 These types ofclashes affect the overall economy and tourism ofthe region and need resolution by design in theCMP. Exhibit 3.10 Illustrates the area occupied bythe inhabitants according to their different sects.Different communities live in close proximity toeach other and are often enveloped by sectarianconflicts. Strategies for the planned growth of thecity recommended in the CMP consider theresolution of such conflicts and the promotion ofcommunity harmony. An example of such astrategy is the promotion of mixed communitiescomplete with their mosques at defined distancesfrom each other.

178. Karrar and Iqbal, Gilgit Report, (UN– Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology,2011) 179. Sectarian Conflict in Gilgit Baltistan, Islamabad: PILDAT(Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency, 2011)

Shia Sunni Ismaili

27%

19%

54%


Exhibit 3.10: Settlements in Gilgit City Center based on different Sects

180

180.

Ibid.

Age GroupsThe UN-Habitat survey revealed that, in 2011,43% of the population of Gilgit was between 16and 30 years of age and 28% percent was under16; 18% of the population was between 31 and45 years of age, while 9% percent was between46 and 60. Only 2% of the population was over 60years of age.181 Exhibit 3.11 summarizes the results.

Based on this information, two assumptions weremade for the 2025 population projections forGilgit. First, that within the next ten years therewill be a high rate of dependents in society in theform of infants and elderly people. Therefore,adequate provisions would need to be directed

towards these age groups in the CMP. Secondly,a large number of the population will fall within thereproductive age range. This implies a need for agreater focus on the provision of all levels ofeducation, employment opportunities, vocationaltraining and housing in the CMP.

Female-Male RatioAccording to the Gilgit Master Plan of 1977, thefemale-to-male ratio of the city, in 1972, wasrecorded as 1:1.13.182 The same ratio wasreported to be 1:1.05, in 2009, for the populationbetween 15 and 64 years of age—the majority ofthe population.183 In 2011, it was reported to be1:1.12.184 The one common feature among all of


Exhibit 3.11: Age Group

Year Gender RatioFemale : Male

1972 1:1.13

2009 1:1.05

2011 1:1.12

Exhibit 3.12: Gender Ratio in Gilgit City

181. IUCN, 2011, Socioeconomic Household Survey of Gilgit City, International Union for Conservation of Nature Pakistan182. S. Qutub, Ayub, Gilgit Master Plan,(Pakistan Environmental Planning and Architectural Consultants ,1977)183. CIA,The World Fact Book, (Washington D.C, Potomac publishers, 2010), 418184. Karrar and Iqbal, Gilgit Report, (UN– Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology, 2011)

0-162%

9%

18%

28%

43%

16-30

31-45

46-60

>60


these ratios is that the number of males is slightlyhigher than that of females. This may be due to ahigher number of births of a particular sex, ahigher female mortality during the childbearing/infantile stage and a better census ofmales as compared to women in the same areadue to the lack of exposure of the latter in aconservative society. However, the recurrent trendof a higher proportion of males was assumed forthe population projected for 2025. Exhibit 3.12summarizes the findings.

Built EnvironmentThe total area of Gilgit is approximately 98 squarekilometers (sq km) and the average householdsize in the city is approximately eight people.Among the structures in the city, 48% are loadbearing and the rest are either made out ofreinforced brick concrete or reinforced cement-and-concrete-frame structures.185 Any futuredevelopment in the city must provide for the factthat the area falls within an active earthquakezone.

The growth of settlements in the city does notseem to be guided by some plan. Many areas areclustered and congested. The majority of thehousing is near the riverbanks, as they provideeasy access to water and maximize natural-resource usage in different seasons. Exhibit 3.13demarcates the planned and unplanned parts ofthe city. Exhibit 3.14 illustrates land use andmarks out the residential areas of the city.

Among the residential plots in Gilgit, 33% aregenerally larger than 20 Marlas, and 15% of theplots are smaller than 7 Marlas.186 Exhibit 3.15illustrates the proportion of the different plot sizesin the city.

A trend that was noted in the development of theCMP was that houses on bigger plots had kitchen

gardens where vegetables were grown and a fewanimals were kept for livestock. Such self-sustainability in the supply of vegetables, poultryand dairy products is considered vital forinhabitants of a city like Gilgit, and itspreservation is, therefore, addressed in the CMPstrategies.

Employment and LiteracyThe literacy rate in Gilgit is approximately 72%with almost equal literacy rates between malesand females.187 The unemployment rate in the city,at 45%, is quite high (Exhibit 3.16). One of thereasons may be due to a high dependence onlivestock rearing and the maintenance of kitchengardens, which are sufficient for the dailysustenance needs of the residents. The employed45% percent work within Gilgit; 35% areemployed in the city center and 4% work in othercities of Pakistan. Only 1% of the population isinvolved in agriculture within Gilgit. Women workprimarily at home or in the agriculture sector.Exhibit 3.17 illustrates the sources of livelihood bypercentage188 and the monthly income of theinhabitants of the city.189 At present, the city centeris the center of employment. Once the GB HighCourt and Assembly become operational, thecenter of employment may shift towards the areaswhere these organizations are located.

The unemployment rate of 45% percent wasprovided for in the CMP by recommendingstrategies to boost existing avenues foremployment and to generate new ones in thefuture. New jobs can be created by expanding theagricultural and forestry industries, for example,which will have a positive impact on the city’seconomy. The tourism and education industriesare two massive avenues for job generation in thefuture and have been incorporated in the CMP.

185. IUCN, 2011, Socioeconomic Household Survey of Gilgit City, International Union for Conservation of Nature Pakistan186. IUCN, 2011, Socioeconomic Household Survey of Gilgit City, International Union for Conservation of Nature Pakistan187. Karrar and Iqbal, Gilgit Report, (UN– Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology, 2011)188. Ibid.189. Professional Development Centre North (PDCN), 2013, Population of GB, Aga Khan University, Institute of Educational Development (AKU–IED)

123Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 3.13: Planned and Unplanned Parts of Gilgit1

90

190. Karrar and Iqbal, Gilgit Report, (UN– Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology, 2011)


Exhibit 3.14: Land Use in Gilgit

191


Exhibit 3.16: The Proportion ofEmployed and Unemployed in Gilgit

Exhibit 3.15: Residential House Sizes(in Marla) in Gilgit


Exhibit 3.17: Levels of Income (in Rs) and Sources of Living in Gilgit

15%

15%

9%

28%

1~7 7~10 11~15

16~20 More than 20 marlas

Unemployed

Monthly Income

No Income Services, Tourism

Agriculture and Forestary

Finance and Real Estate

Trade and Commerce

Below 5000

5000 - 10000

10000 - 20000

Above 20000

Source of Livelihood

55%

Employed

33%

45%

61%15%

24%

44%

17%

23%

13%

1% 2%


Household Units and Area Required A projected number of household units in Gilgitfor the year 2025 was based on:l A family size of 8.1 peoplel Total population of 331,000 l The assumption that there will be no

homeless people or people without regulardwellings in the city

Exhibit 3.18 provides the total number ofhouseholds in Gilgit, in 2025, based on thepopulation projections. Exhibit 3.19 summarizesthe total number of household units present in1998 based on census data of the same year.

By subtracting the 1998 number of householdsfrom the projected number of households for theyear 2025, the demand for additional housing

units was estimated and made part of the designof the CMP.

To calculate the area needed to provide foradditional housing units, it was assumed thatfuture developments in the city will be comprisedof multi-level apartments and small townhouses.Accordingly, the average residential plot size wasassumed to be 5 Marlas, resulting in approximately32 household units per acre.192 With multi-level,mid-rise housing, as advised in the CMP, theapproximate household units per acre can go toas high as 128. In hectares, this figure is 316household units per hectare. Therefore, theamount of land needed for housing at the rate of316 household units per Ha, for a total of 31,068units, was calculated to be 98 Ha (0.98 sq km).Exhibit 3.20 summarizes the results.

Exhibit 3.18: Projected Household Units in Gilgit in 2025Area Population Household size Number of

Household Units

Gilgit-Urban 274,773 8.1 33922.5

Gilgit-Rural (Danyor and Sakwar) 55,951 8.1 6907.5

Total ~ 331,000 8.1 40,864

Exhibit 3.19: 1998 Household FiguresArea Population Household size Number of

Household Units

Gilgit-Urban 56,701 8.1 7,000

Gilgit-Rural (Danyor and Sakwar) 22,648 8.1 2,796

Total ~ 79,349 8.1 9,796

Exhibit 3.20: Area and Number of Household Units Required for the 2025 CMPDescription

1998– Number of Households 9,796 units

2025– Projected Number of Households 40,864 units

Total Households Required 31,068 units

Area required for 31,068 units (@ 316 units/Ha) 98 Ha

192. A hectare has 2.47 acres and 1 acre has 8 Kanals; each Kanal has approximately 20 Marlas.


Travel and TransportA field survey of Gilgit revealed traffic congestionissues at the city center. The minimum width ofroads for vehicular traffic in the city is 20 feet (ft),while the maximum width extends toapproximately 35 ft, internal streets are normallyused by pedestrians and the width can vary from8 ft to 15 ft. There is no demarcation of pedestrianroutes in the inner streets, but most of the mainroads provide footpaths.

Public transport in the city includes carts, Suzukiwagons, and taxis that can be accessed frominformal bus stands, locally termed as ‘adda,’ andusually located near commercial areas.

According to a survey carried out in the year 2000by the Northern Area Traffic Office and FederalStatistics Office Gilgit, there were a total numberof 24,002 registered vehicles in the city.193 Among

these, the majority were motorcycles and jeeps.The same trend was observed during a field visitconducted by the SEA team in 2013.

The total figure took into account non-customvehicles with blue number plates. The count,however, did not include military vehicles nor didit take into account the increase in the number ofvehicles during the tourist season. Exhibit 3.21summarizes the results of the survey.

A 2011 IUCN survey focused on modes of travelin the city; Exhibit 3.22 summarizes the results.The primary mode of travel in the city is on foot,which accounts for 61% of the city’s road users.This is followed by the use of public transport by24% of the population. These two popular modesof transport were taken into account in the designof the CMP.

Exhibit 3.21: Registered Vehicles in Gilgit 194Type of vehicle Registered On-Road

Motorcycles/Scooters 4014 3986

Motorcars 3000 2974

Jeeps 3563 3552

Station Wagons 700 690

Tractors 1557 1487

Buses/Mini Buses 330 329

Motorcar/Cab 39 39

Delivery Van 54 50

Public Carrier Truck 7939 7917

Private Carrier Truck 47 47

Pick–up Datsun 767 762

Ambulance 12 12

Oil Tankers 179 172

Water Tanker 2 2

Suzuki Pickup 1799 1755

Grand Total 24002 17774

193. Northern Area Traffic Office & Federal Statistics Office Gilgit194. Ibid

Exhibit 3.22: Modes of Travel in Gilgit


The CMP also took into account the fact that thenumber of private-vehicle owners in the city isexpected to rise by 2025.

Gilgit has a small domestic airport within the city,which connects it to the rest of Pakistan. TheKKH runs about 10 km off the city boundary,connecting Pakistan to China. Transportinfrastructure and systems were, therefore,considered a vital part of the CMP, as they wouldenable the city to expand its existing provisionsfor 2025.

Educational FacilitiesGilgit has a large number of educational institutesand the literacy level is comparatively higher thanthe rest of the district.195 The institutes of learningprovide primary-to-post-secondary educationlevels. The Karakoram International University(KIU) at Duo Pani was established, in the city, in2002, to address the need for undergraduate- andgraduate-level programs in the region. Exhibit3.23 lists the different education facilities availablein the entire city district and the number ofstudents enrolled between 2010 and 2011.

Exhibit 3.23: Education Facilities in Gilgit District in 2010–11Facility Number Enrollment

Primary 1,496 149,690

Middle 318 32,901

High 187 11,082

Higher Secondary 6 161

Colleges 14 2,688

I.T Centers 4 207

Universities 1 414

Total 2,026 197,143


55%55%

55%Pedestrian

Public

Semi-Private

Private

2%


In 2010, the dropout rate in the district at theprimary level among boys and girls was 11% and8% respectively. This was ascribed to poverty,migration of families and mismanagement ofschools.196

Both the dropout rate and the enrollmentstatistics in the above exhibit were used to projectfuture demand for schools in Gilgit. As discussedpreviously in this section, 28% of the totalpopulation of the city, in 2011, was younger than16 years of age. It was assumed that thisproportion would rise to become 30% of thepopulation, in the future, as a result of bettereducation and health facilities. This figure of 30%implies 99,300 people below 16 years of age, inGilgit, in 2025, based on the projected populationof 331,000.

By assuming 100% enrollment and a dropout rateof 15%, 84,405 out of the 99,300 students wouldprogress to middle-year education. Out of these,25% are expected to drop out, with 63,303

progressing to higher education. Exhibit 3.24summarizes the results.

Comparing the projected enrollment figures forprimary education in 2025 (99,300 people) withthe primary enrollment figures for the entiredistrict in 2011 (149,690 people), it is clear thatthe existing number of educational facilities in thecity will not meet the future demand. The numberof students gaining higher education will alsoincrease, with additional pressure from studentsfrom adjoining areas.

Health FacilitiesGilgit is the center for medical facilities in theentire province. There are six hospitals, includingone District Headquarter Hospital (DHQH)—theonly government hospital in the city—and five civilhospitals, with a total count of 269 beds.197 Exhibit3.25 provides a breakdown of the health facilitiesavailable in the city.198 There is no teachinghospital in Gilgit; the closest one is in Abbottabad,which is a 13-hour road journey away.

Exhibit 3.24: Projected Number of Students by Level of Education - 2025Level of Education Enrollment

Primary 99,300

Middle 84,405

Higher 63,303

Exhibit 3.25: Health Services in Gilgit– 2010–11Service Number

Hospitals 6

Basic Health Units 4

Dispensaries 22

Total Beds 269

Exhibit 3.26: Required Health Services by 2025Description Number

Existing Beds 269

Required for 331,000 People at the Ratio of 3 Beds/1000 People 993

Number of Beds to be Provided 724

196. "Gilgit Dropout rate", Dawn International, March 26,2010, Online Edition.197. Dr. Naila Khalil , Background Paper Health and Environment, (IUCN Pakistan Programme Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable

Development , 2011).198. Source: Health Department Northern Areas, June 1999.


In order to estimate the required number of healthfacilities, in Gilgit, in 2025, the CMP used theWorld Health Organization (WHO) standard for theprovision of health care, which recommends 3beds per 1000 people.199 200

Using this standard, Exhibit 3.26 provides anestimate of the number of beds that will berequired in the city in 2025. According to thetable, this number is 724 beds and will be takeninto account in the CMP.

Recreational FacilitiesThere are currently two public parks in Gilgit city:the Chinar Park and the City Park. There are alsothree polo grounds, which are also used forcultural and social activities. These grounds alsodouble as playing areas for children.

There are three cinema halls with a total seatingcapacity of 800 people. Institutional andadministrative areas have their own facilities,which are not open to the general public.201

The CMP was designed to keep in mind the needto develop additional recreational facilities for thegeneral public. The development of riverfrontareas as urban river parks for the general public isone avenue considered in the CMP.

3.5.4 ConclusionIn 2025, the projected population of Gilgit,including the areas of Danyor and Sakwar, isestimated to be 331,000. This estimate wasbased on the 1998 census and the natural growthtrends of the city.

Using the 2025 population, a cohort analysis wasundertaken, which considered future trends in agegroups, female-male ratios, demand for homes,employment, education facilities and otherimportant aspects of the city. The design of theCMP is based on the issues identified by thecohort analysis.

The issues identified were related to housing,health, education, transport, infrastructure andemployment. Sectarian strife was also identifiedas an issue that would be addressed in the designof the CMP. The cohort analysis also identifiedavenues for job creation in the tourism industry.For housing, an additional 31,000 units isestimated for Gilgit in 2025, requiringapproximately 98 hectares of land fordevelopment. Additional recreational, health andeducational facilities will be required to match theneeds of the future population. Gilgit will alsorequire 724 additional hospital beds, along withclinics and dispensaries as aiding facilities.

Transport and travel services will need upgrading,and an infrastructure emphasis will be required fordeveloping pedestrian-friendly roads and forpromoting efficient public transport facilities. Theregional role of the city will also significantlyexpand and will become a hub for trade, tourismand education. Regional connectivity in the formof major roads will also be required, thusconnecting Gilgit with the rest of Pakistan andproviding a gateway to China.

3.6 Development Strategies for the CMPThe issues identified in the cohort analysis, basedon the projected population of Gilgit in 2025, willbe addressed by the CMP through differentdevelopment strategies. These strategies coverland use, transportation, sustainability, urbanspatial growth, air quality and health, ethnicity,natural hazards, energy demand and thepreservation of biodiversity. A combination ofthese different strategies will form the finalrecommendations of the CMP.

The land-use strategy will serve to demarcatedifferent areas of Gilgit reserved for residential,commercial, institutional and recreationalactivities. Transportation strategies will look ateasing traffic congestion in the city by allocatingdifferent types of roads and bridge networks for

199. Pakistan’s hospital bed density in 2010 was 0.6 beds per 1,000 people. http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.MED.BEDS.ZS200. E–Health Magazine " Low bed-to-population ratio",

http://ehealth.eletsonline.com/2011/09/india–with–low–hospital–bed–density–and–poor–doctor–patient–ratio–says–report/ (accessedDecember 28 2013)

201. Haider Raza,”NASSD Background Paper: Urban Environment”, IUCN Pakistan, Northern Areas Progamme, 2003


pedestrians, cyclists, buses, cars, and heavyvehicles. Sustainability strategies will cater to thesafe disposal of waste and its management in andaround the city. Growth strategies includeexpansion scenarios and the preparation ofpreferred options for the future development ofthe city. Air quality and health strategies willprovide for a healthy and safe environment for thefuture. An assessment of the city’s vulnerability tonatural hazards will facilitate in incorporatingmitigation measures in the design of the CMP. Theenergy-demand strategy will help Gilgit providefor existing and future demand up to the year2025.

The CMP will comprise of a combination of thesestrategies to provide a framework for the futuredevelopment of the city.

3.6.1 Land-Use StrategyThe land-use strategy for the CMP classifiesvacant land in the city according to the followingcriteria.l Land suitable and currently used for

agriculture with full water rights (fertileland): Future development in Gilgit must notchange the agricultural use of this land(Exhibit 3.27 and Exhibit 3.28). These landsare vital to the economy of the city as theyprovide it with cheap, local vegetables foralmost half a year. A large number of theinhabitants are also dependent on theselands for subsistence farming, which includesgrowing vegetables and rearing livestock.

l Land suitable for livestock and grazingwith some water rights: Future developmentin Gilgit must keep this land as it is (Exhibit3.27). Livestock rearing or grazing on thisland must not be changed.

l Barren land not suitable for cultivation:This land may be utilized for housing andother urban development activities, such asthe construction of roads, water channelsand sewage drains.

l Built up land; residential buildings orsheds: This land may be utilized for housingand other urban development activities, suchas the construction of roads, water channelsand sewage drains.

l Hazard-prone areas; riverbanks orlandslide areas: Development in these areasshould be strictly avoided (Exhibit 3.29 andExhibit 3.30).

According to the strategy, an inventory should bedeveloped that categorizes and catalogues allvacant land in the city according to the abovestated criteria. Land ownership of these areasshould also be documented. All the informationshould be stored in the form of a data bank ofland resources. It is vital for a successful futuremaster plan of the city that this exercise becarried out before embarking on the exercise ofpreparing the comprehensive Master Plan forGilgit.

The classification of land in Gilgit, according tothe aforementioned criteria, should be enforcedthrough legislation particularly to preserve theagricultural land available in the city. Theagricultural areas in Danyor and Sultanabad arebeing rapidly encroached by the expanding urbanareas of the city, particularly the developmentsaround the N–35 transportation corridor. Danyor isa major supplier of fresh vegetables to Gilgit foralmost seven months of the year, which helpskeep prices of poultry and vegetables affordablefor its inhabitants.

The development of residential buildings on fertilelands should be restricted by the introduction ofsome limits. The limits should ensure that a largepart of a plot allotted on a residential area beused for subsistence farming and livestockrearing.

Government HousingBy 2025, Gilgit will be the center of administrationfor all of GB, which implies the need for housingfor government employees. In order to establish


the future housing demand for the governmentsector, data from various governmentdepartments in GB will be required. Based on thedata collected, land area for development willhave to be allocated accordingly.

Currently, large government complexes, alongwith residential colonies, are all appearing nearthe junction of the KKH and Gilgit Road. Here, theland is not suited to agriculture and there do notappear to be any water rights pertaining to thisarea. This is consistent with the criteriaestablished above for the development in the cityon different types of vacant areas. Waterrequirements for new government developmentsat the junction can be met by pumping water from the nearby river.

The High Court and the GB Assembly are alsobeing developed to the west of Gilgit Road(Exhibit 3.31). Here, too, the land is not suitablefor cultivation, nor are there water rightspertaining to this area. This development is alsoconsistent with the criteria established by theland-use strategy. These governmentdevelopments in the area west of Gilgit Road andat the junction near the KKH are positive newdevelopment trends that do not disrupt vitalexisting land uses of the vacant areas in the city.

The development trend in this area of Gilgit willcontinue along the main roads towards thesoutheast of the city and into Sakwar. Suchdevelopment, if not controlled and properlyplanned, has the potential of blocking access intothe hinterland in Sakwar, thus depriving itsinhabitants the opportunity to fully participate inthe economic activities of the city. Such ‘ribbondevelopment’ can be prevented by designing aroad network, in the area, that promotesdevelopment away from the main transportcorridors and further towards the interior areas.Interior approach roads need to be developed, atan early stage, complete with the provision ofsewerage systems, water supply and electricity topromote development in vacant areas in Sakwarthat are away from the main transport corridors.

Preferred Land-Use Strategy for Expansion inGilgitThe strategy of choice for expansion in Gilgitprovided by the CMP will be based on thefollowing criteria:l Only land not suitable for cultivation and not

prone to natural hazards, such as floods orlandslides, will be used for development.

l Such an area towards Sakwar is considered aviable option for development.

l A similar area between the KIU and ChilmasDas and further north along the same route isto be reserved for development related to theeducation needs of the city. At least 25% ofthe land should be used for student andfaculty housing facilities and othercommercial areas catering specifically to theneeds of the students.

l A vacant, non-cultivable area close to theHunza River (Exhibit 3.32) should bedeveloped as an urban riverfront park. Thiswill also generate economic opportunities inthe form of restaurants, picnic spots andfishing areas.

3.6.2 Transportation StrategyThe transportation strategies discussed in thissection will look at the existing transit corridors inthe city and propose an urban form for the futureof Gilgit that is compact and pedestrian-friendly.The strategy will also consider the vehicularmovement of goods, with pertinent locations forinter- and intra-city transport terminals and buslinks consistent with the land-use approachdiscussed in the previous section. A hierarchy ofroads will also be established with potential road-widening schemes.

Three major roads in Gilgit give order andhierarchy to the city’s existing transportationnetwork. The preferred transportation strategy forthe CMP will build on these existing patterns. Thedevelopment of residential and commercial areasaround the transport corridors will also beconsidered.


Exhibit 3.27: Agricultural Land and Grazing Areas in Gilgit

Agricultural fields in Barmas

Grazing field in Barmas


Exhibit 3.28: Good Agricultural Land Opposite Skarkui on the Gilgit–Chitral Road

Exhibit 3.29: Construction on a Riverbank

Exhibit 3.30: Landslide hazard area next to Skarkui showing houses constructed on landslide area.


Exhibit 3.31: Under Construction - Gilgit Baltistan Assembly Building on a BarrenPeri-Urban Site.

Exhibit 3.32: View towards Hunza River showing Vacant, Non-cultivable Area


Surface Transport – VehicularBefore recommending a strategy, it is vital toaddress the existing state of the transportationcorridors in the city, particularly the transportationnodes— the inter- and intra-regional bus stops. Atthe junction of the KKH—a major regionaltransportation corridor—with Jalalabad Road inDanyor, there are three bus and Suzuki addas,which take passengers arriving at Gilgit from thesouth to:l Gilgit city center,l Hunza orl Oshkhan Das.

At present, there are no rest facilities in the city,on either side of the KKH, that match thestandards of the vehicle-stop areas, fillingstations, repair shops, mosques, food shops andtoilets available on the sides of the majormotorways in the rest of Pakistan. Establishinghospitality facilities for overnight travelers aroundthe junction is vital, considering its proximity tothe KIU and the city’s location as a regionaltransportation hub. The population of studentswill increase with time and with the addition ofnew departments in the university. Othereducational institutions of higher learning are alsolocated around Nomal Road and the Hunza Riverclose to the junction.

The connection of the addas or bus stands toNomal Road will have to be considerablyenhanced, keeping in view the population to2025, which is estimated to stand at 331,000. Anydevelopment around the junction, however,should be strictly controlled by clearly defining theland area available for use for this purpose. Thiswill prevent future encroachments in the area.Land should, therefore, be allocated for thedevelopment of this junction as soon as possible.The area around the junction can also bedeveloped to accommodate food-processingplants and warehouses for storing agriculturalproduce.

There is another general bus stand on theShahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, which will also assume

greater importance and will generate traffic oncethe Civil Secretariat is established on vacant landnext to it. There is considerable vacant land to therear of this bus terminal.

Both bus stands—at the junction of the KKH withJalabad Road and the one at the Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam— will assume greater traffic flowwith the expansion of Gilgit to the east and theincrease in the student population of the KIU. Thearea in Sultanabad will be further given over toeducational institutions with student residencesand those for faculty members and other staffmembers. In order to accommodate them, theeducational institutions may develop three- orfour-storey earthquake-resistant buildings. Thiswould result in compact development and allowfor housing densities of more than 1000people/acre. Such compact development willallow a well–planned, affordable and viable publictransport system to be developed.

The major constraint of compact and focuseddevelopment around the KIU is that, in times oftrouble, potential protestors in the student bodywill be able to block Nomal Road to traffic.The Gizer-Yaseen Bus Stand within the citycenter, at the junction of Chitral and Shaheed-e-Millat Roads, will primarily serve as a hub fortravelers to Chitral and Gizer. It requires space forexpansion to accommodate at least 3 buses and5 wagons, simultaneously along with rest, andticketing facilities. Traffic in the area will need tobe properly managed, as will adequate parkingfacilities for buses and wagons not in use.

New BypassesIf bypass corridors are made to the north of theGilgit River (the ‘Northern Bypass’) or, if theNomal Road is widened and connected to ChitralRoad in the northwest of the city, it will also beable to successfully serve as a bypass.Connecting this Chitral–Nomal Road Junctionwith a future Southern Bypass will effectively forma transportation loop around Gilgit, allowingregional traffic to transit through the city withoutgoing through its city center.


This will reduce pressure on the inner-city roads,which in turn will reduce pollution and congestion.The Northern Bypass, when developed, will alsohelp mitigate land erosion and landslides, in thatarea, through adequate construction.

Constructing the Southern Bypass may requireremoval of some forest cover and the conversionof existing agricultural areas in the old part of thecity in Barmas and Napura in the southwest. If,after an environmental impact assessment, theSouthern Bypass is developed, the forest coverand cultivable area removed must be replaced inthe same quantity somewhere else within the city.The replacement should be prepared before thedevelopment of the bypass.

Congestion in the city center from inter-city trafficwill require amelioration through additionalmeasures such as:l New underpasses or large roundabouts, and l Managing and rerouting traffic using one-way

streets.

Distributing Regional and Inter-city TrafficAnother option for easing traffic congestion in thecity center is by dividing the existing Suzuki andwagon stands to accommodate either regionaltraffic or the inter-city traffic, but not both. Adedicated regional bus stand can be developedclose to the GB High Court with connections tointer-city bus stops. Dropping passengers fromthe regional stop to different locations in the citywould reduce the pressure of regional traffic onthe city center.

PedestriansGilgit, and particularly the city center, must bemade pedestrian-friendly. At present, there is anabsence of adequately designed footpaths in thecity center. New pedestrian routes and pavementswill need to be added and made a feature there.This is particularly important considering that thefuture rise in population density may require thatmovement of vehicles through the city center tobe disallowed altogether.

Air Transport ServicesAir travel facilities in GB can be expanded bydeveloping a network of small airfields for lightaircraft around the province, with Gilgit andSkardu as the operational hubs. The Gilgit Airportcan be developed to assume this expanded roleby adding all-weather instrumentation, extendingthe runway and adding parking bays for smalleraircraft and helicopters. Such expansion willenhance the tourist potential of the entireprovince.

The Shaheed-e-Millat Road, at the end of therunway of the Gilgit Airport, may require re-routingaway from the airport premises. This will allow therunway to be extended for larger aircrafts, but willresult in the closure of the City Park. Therefore,any runway extensions must only take place afterthe relocation of the park.

Preferred Transportation strategyTaking into account the above discussions, thepreferred transportation strategy for the city is asfollows:l Two bypasses should be developed to divert

regional traffic around the city center. TheNorthern Bypass should be developed alongthe base of the mountains to the north of thecity; the Southern Bypass should bedeveloped towards the south of Gilgit River.

l Encroachments along Nomal Road to thenorth should be cleared so that the road canbe developed as a Gilgit bypass.

l The hinterland in Sakwar should be madeaccessible by developing a road network thatavoids the ribbon development along GilgitRoad towards its junction with the KKH andthe GB Secretariat.

l Congestion nodes in the city should be givenproper lane alignment for better trafficmanagement. The junction of Serena HotelRoad and that of Share-e-Quaid Azam shouldbe engineered into a proper transportationjunction with bylaws that account for future


demand. Some land around it should be keptclear to allow for the design of road junctions.

l Inter-city traffic should be managed with one-way routes and parking spaces.

l Roads along the main Nullahs should beproperly defined and maintained.

l Parking areas and bus stops should bedefined.

3.6.3 Energy StrategyThe principal forms of energy consumed in GBare firewood, electricity, kerosene oil, liquefiedpetroleum gas (LPG), diesel oil and batteries.

Firewood, which includes sticks and bushes, isused for cooking and heating. Electricity andkerosene oil is used for illumination and diesel isused by a small number of industrial units wherethere is no electrification.202

Present Power DemandThe present power demands of GB are mainlymet by small hydel power stations that range from50 kW to 4,000 kW, according to the localdemand and the allocation of funds. There are184 hydel stations and 18 diesel-based thermalpower stations in operation in GB, which providea total of 50 MW to the province (see Exhibit3.33).

Exhibit 3.33: Existing and Under Construction Power StationsRegion Existing Power Stations Under Construction Power Stations (Hydel)

No. of Stations Capacity (kW) No. of Stations Capacity (kW)

Hydel Diesel Hydel Diesel

Chilas 78 – 5,820 – – –

Astore 8 – 3,010 – – –

Gilgit 14 8 11,000 4,400 2 4,160

Hunza 13 1 6,940 200 1 400

Ishkoman 3 – 2,660 – – –

Yasin 1 – 1,000 – – –

Skardu 10 4 6,120 1,200 2 1,200

Shyok 7 1 4,000 200 1 1,500

Haramosh 5 – 2,220 – 1 500

Kharmong 7 – 1,880 – – –

Khunjerab 2 – 985 – 1 100

Ghizer 4 – 660 – – –

Gultari 2 – 110 – – –

Total 154 14 44,000 6,000 8 7,800

202. Suleman Wali Khan and Muhammad Fiaz Joyia, Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development, Background Paper on Energy, IUCNPakistan Programme ( Karachi: Rosette Printers, 2003)

(Source: gtz:WAPDA Survey 1992–93 (updated))


Power Supply and Transmission SystemGB’s power supply system is not connected to

Pakistan’s National Grid primarily due to its

remote location. This arrangement is likely to

continue unless a major power station is

constructed in Gilgit. The existing electric power

generation, transmission and distribution system

is being operated and maintained by the Northern

Areas Public Works Department (NAPWD). The

current installed capacity of 50 MW consists of

154 hydel and 14 thermal powers stations. The

power generated from small hydels and limited

thermal power stations are transmitted over short

distances through 11 kV transmission lines and

distributed for domestic, commercial and

industrial use. Gilgit, being the major commercial

city of GB, is fed from a number of hydels and

thermal power stations through 11 kV

lines/feeders. Each feeder is independently

supplied by a group of hydel power plants.

Future Power NeedsThe demand for electric power in the whole area,

particularly in major cities like Gilgit and Skardu, is

growing rapidly, while the present power

generation is inadequate to meet the needs of the

area. There appears to be a great shortage of

power in this region, as the supply of electricity is

generally uncertain and, in most cases, available

only for a restricted period. In Gilgit, it is

estimated that only 50% of the households are

presently receiving power. In other towns and

villages, the coverage of electrification is even

less. Nevertheless, efforts are being made to meet

demand.

The demand for electricity will increase further,

particularly in Gilgit, which has become the new

capital of the entire province. Commercial

activities are increasing and new commercial

centers are opening. If trade with the Central

Asian Republic and China increases, commercial

activities will expand further in this region. With

these developments, the numbers of medium-

and small-scale industries will also increase. The

most prominent sectors that will require

considerable power are the tourism and

hospitality industries. The number of foreign and

local tourists visiting GB is substantial and it is

expected that a greater number of them will be

visiting this region in the future.203

3.6.4 Strategy for Recreation Parks andRiverfront Development:City Parks and Polo GroundsAt present, the extension area for the airport

runway is home to the City Park. With the

expansion of the airport runway in that direction,

the park’s use will change. Any plans of changing

the park to a runway should first include the

relocation of the existing park to somewhere

within or near the city center before the new

runway is developed.

Another large and open space in the city center is

the polo ground. Its existing use, however, seems

to be unregulated and it is used primarily by

children for playing football. The grounds have a

gated entrance and brick walls that completely

surround them. Also, there are hardly any trees

and no green areas around it. On one side, there

are shops, and a heavy build-up of residential

areas exists on the other. This, along with other

polo grounds in the city, can be developed as

urban parks at the city scale.

Riverfront DevelopmentThe riverfront in Gilgit, at present, has not been

developed, but has the potential to serve as a

major recreational space in the city. The riverfront

also needs to be protected, as it is an

environmentally important feature. Riverfronts

along the Hunza and Gilgit Rivers should be

zoned and development that damages the

riverfront in these areas should be immediately

ceased.

203. Suleman Wali Khan and Muhammad Fiaz Joyia, Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development, Background Paper on Energy, IUCNPakistan Programme ( Karachi: Rosette Printers, 2003)


Due to the lack of public awareness about the

environmental importance of the riverfront, the

following activities are rapidly causing damage:

l Sand is being taken from the riverbed. (See

Exhibit 3.34).

l Houses and abetment walls are being

constructed on the riverbed.

l Contaminated water from the nullahs and raw

sewage is entering the river.

l Solid waste dumped on the riverbanks and

leachates from waste dumps flow into the

river.

Legislation is required in the city to define land

ownership on riverbanks and to define the right-

of-way (ROW) of the river where no development

will be allowed. Further, the riverfront should be

treated as communal property and not as the

property of some individuals. The latter may affect

the river in a manner that contributes to the

scouring of the riverbed. Besides adversely

affecting the riverine ecosystem, scouring also

damages the foundations of bridges, leading to

their eventual collapse (Picture 3.6). All land on

the riverfront, particularly the riverbed and

riverbanks, should be purchased by the

government and not allowed to be sold for private

or commercial purposes. The riverfronts are a

natural resource that should be enjoyed by all of

Gilgit’s inhabitants. Waste dumping into the rivers

should be banned and the sewage flowing into

the river should be treated before disposal.

3.6.5 Water Supply in the City

Gilgit is rich in fresh-water resources, however

mismanagement has led to water shortages in

different parts of the city. The primary sources are

the Gilgit and Hunza Rivers and the streams or

nullahs, the latter which flow down into the city

from the mountain slopes.204 These nullahs have

reduced flow in winter and a number of

communities have priority use of the water

through traditional water rights. The water in the

Exhibit 3.34: Urban Park Development: sand being taken from riverbeds.

204. Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection Agency, Water and Wastewater Quality Survey in seven urban centers of Gilgit Baltistan, 2013


nullahs are contaminated and are filtered in the

water-filtration plants in the city. Only the Danyor

Nullah has uncontaminated water and should,

therefore, be protected from pollutants and

animals. The Danyor Nullah will be under threat

from the development of the KIU and other

education institutions in the vicinity.

The drinking-water supply complexes in Gilgit city

are as follows:

l Burmas Water Supply Complex, Majini

Mohalla

l Jutial, Water Lift System, Sonikot

l Jutial, Lift Water Supply Complex, Zulfiqar

Colony

l Danyor Chikas Water Supply Complex,

Choke Area

l Gilgit Filtration Plants: APSC Filtration Plant

and DHQH Filtration Plant.

The volume of water consumed by residents in

the developed world is more than 50

gallons/person/day. However, considering the

Exhibit 3.35: Infrastructure Requirement (Based on 35 Gallons per Day)(Water Supply and Solid Waste)

Description Year 2014 Year 2025

Water supply in cities 5.6M gallons/day 11.5M gallons/day

Solid waste 2.2M gallons/day 13.2M gallons/day

Exhibit 3.36: Infrastructure Requirement (Based on 50 Gallons per Day)(Water Supply and Solid Waste)

Description Year 2014 Year 2025

Water supply in cities 8.0M gallons/day 16.5M gallons/day

Solid waste 3.1M gallons/day 19.0M gallons/day

Exhibit 3.37: Water Works (Tanks in Jutial Area)


lifestyles of the inhabitants of Gilgit and the

average household size of 8.1 people, the water

supply estimations in this section will consider a

volume of 35 gallons/person/day being used in

GIlgit. Accordingly,

l 35 gallons/person/day x 8.1 = 284

gallons/household/day.

l Industries and hospitality establishments add

another 15% to this figure.

l Seasonal variations (summers and winters)

may increase or decrease the load/day.

l According to the population projections, the

number of households in Gilgit in the year

2014 = 161,696/8.1 = 19,962.

l And in the year 2025, the number of

households will have increased to

330,724/8.1 = 40,830.

Based on the above projected household figures,

the water supply required for the city in 2014 and

2025 using both the 35-gallon-per-day and 50-

gallon-per-day standards are shown in Exhibit

3.35 and Exhibit 3.36 respectively. If projections

are based on 50 gallons/person/day, 16.5M

gallons in total, or 35 gallons/person, are required

per day and 11.5M gallons/day will be required by

the city in 2025. This cannot be met by the flow in

the nullahs alone and will, therefore, require water

to be pumped from the Gilgit and Hunza Rivers.

Design Criteria

The existing piped delivery systems in urban

settlements in Gilgit do not match the current

domestic and non-domestic water demands. For

instance, the five complexes that currently supply

drinking water to Gilgit were designed in late

1970s based on the population demand of the

time. The existing systems were designed on the

criterion of 67 liters (18 gallons) per capita per

day, which is eleven times less than the same

criterion for Islamabad, three times less than

Quetta’s and two times less than Peshawar’s. It is

worth mentioning that since 1998, the Water

Sanitation Extension Programme of the Aga Khan

Planning and Building Services (AKPBS) is

designing rural water supply systems in GB on

the design criterion of 70 liters (18.5 gallons) per

capita per day. Exhibit 3.38 and Exhibit 3.39 list

the water supply demand required for Gilgit in the

next decade based on the current growth rate.205

According to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

1172:1993, reaffirmed in 1998 (Indian standard

code for water requirement):

l For communities with a population of 20,000

to 100,000 – 39.6 gallons per person per day

are consumed.

l For communities with a population of over

100,000 – 52.8 gallons per person per day

are consumed.

In the BIS 1172, a breakdown of the water

demand for both categories is provided. For the

2025 population projection for Gilgit, the

breakdown of the 52.8 gallons is used and is as

follows:

l Bathing: 14.5 gallons/person/day

l Toilet flushing: 7.92 gallons/person/day

l Washing of clothes: 5.28 gallons/household/day

l Washing the house: 2.64 gallons/household/day

l Washing utensils: 2.64 gallons/household/day

l Cooking: 1.32 gallons/household/day

l Drinking: 1.32 gallons/person/day

According to the Water Supply and Sanitation

Collaborative Council (WSSCC),206 the planning

guidelines for minimum water quantities for

institutions and other uses are as follows:

205. Haider Raza, Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development, Background Paper on Urban Environment, IUCN Pakistan Programme (Karachi: Rosette Printers, 2003)

206. WSSCC has built its reputation, with a 20-year credible track record, as a major global organization with extensive experience in water,sanitation and hygiene issues at the community, national and international level. Its institutional home is the United Nations under the UNOPS(UN Office for Project Services). http://www.wsscc.org/


Exhibit 3.38: Water Requirement Standards (Public Spaces)Description Water Consumption (in gallons)

Health Centers and Hospitals 1.32 gallons/outpatient

10.5–15.8 gallons/in-patient/day

Additional quantities for laundry equipment, flushing toilets, etc.

Schools 0.79 gallons/pupil/day for drinking and hand washing (use for

toilets not included).

Mosques 0.528–1.32 gallons/person/day for washing and drinking.

Public Toilets 0.26–0.52 gallons/user/day for hand washing 0.52–2.11

gallons/cubicle/day for toilet cleaning

All Flushing Toilets 5.28–10.56 gallons/user/day for conventional flushing toilets

connected to a sewer 0.79–1.32 gallons/user/day for pour-flush

toilets.

Small–scale Irrigation 3–6mm/m2/day, but can vary considerably.

Exhibit 3.39: Public Space Facility Requirement (Time Based)Description Short Term Long Term

Market areas • 1 toilet to 50 stalls • 1 toilet to 20 stalls

Hospitals/Medical Centers • 1 toilet to 20 beds or • 1 toilet to 10 beds or

50 out-patients 20 out-patients

Feeding Centers • 1 toilet to 50 adults • 1 toilet to 20 adults

1 toilet to 20 children 1 toilet to 10 children

Reception/Transit Centers • 1 toilet per 50 people

3:1 female-to-male

Schools • 1 toilet to 30 girls • 1 toilet to 30 girls

1 toilet to 60 boys 1 toilet to 60 boys

Offices • 1 toilet to 20 staff


There are primarily two major types of waterresources available in Gilgit.

l The Gilgit and Hunza Rivers, and

l The streams or nullahs flowing down from the

mountains.

All the major nullahs in Gilgit are connected towater-storage tanks from which the water ischanneled into 12-inch diameter metal pipes withvalves (See Exhibit 3.40). Water from these pipesis first supplied to the residents and theiragricultural lands that possess traditional rightsover the water, after which it is supplied to otherareas. The water tanks do not have any gauges ormeasurement systems, nor do they have anychlorination or sand-bed filtration or aerationsystems. The general hygiene and protection ofthese works from animals, domestic or wild, havenot been taken into consideration.

Communities without traditional water rights aresupplied with this water grudgingly. Suchcommunities often prefer getting water from the

river rather than relying on upstream communities,with water rights, to share.

At present, there is a system of mobile waterbowsers in the city, which are pulled by tractorsand charge approximately Rs 1000/trip for eachbowser to deliver water from the river to differenthouseholds (Exhibit 3.41). These tractorsconsume fuel and increase congestion on theroads. This method of water supply is expensiveand employed mostly by those with no otheroption for water supply or by commercial entitiesthat require larger quantities.

Strategy and RecommendationsIn the future, the main source of drinking water inGilgit will be the Gilgit and Hunza Rivers. It is,therefore, important to protect the water quality ofthese resources from pollution. Once moreindustries are developed in the city, the demandfor water will rise further. In order to preventpollution from these industries, treatment of wasteprior to disposal into the river would need tobecome part of the law in Gilgit. The same

Exhibit 3.40: Valves from the Water-storage Tanks


Exhibit 3.41: Mobile Water Bowsers in Gilgit

condition should be imposed for all the busstands in the city, mechanic shops, car-washingfacilities and other such commercial enterprisesthat dispose effluents into the rivers.

The protection of these nullahs can be facilitatedby constructing raised, green embankments andsmall lagoons on the sides and by planting trees,shrubs and grass. While protecting the nullahs,these additions will also turn them into greenrecreational corridors, which will also protect thebiodiversity of the area.

The following strategies related to drinking-watersupply in the city are recommended:l Landfill sites for solid waste to be moved

away from the riverbanks.

l Legislation against the dumping of solidwaste into the rivers and nullahs to beenacted.

l Nullahs should be turned into recreationalspots. The Danyor Nullah should be affordedparticular attention so as to preserve itspresent uncontaminated state.

l New storage tanks should be constructed orthe capacity of existing storage tanks shouldbe increased. All of the storage tanks shouldbe equipped with water meters, which helpmake water distribution a transparent andequitable process. Such meters will alsoallow user charges for the water to beimplemented.

l User charges should be introduced andshould replace the traditional water rights.

l Water aeration and bed filtration systemsshould be developed for the water tanks.Sand bed filtration systems can even beintroduced on the sides of the existingnullahs, where water can be diverted, filteredand released back into the nullah.

l Large pipes should be installed along themain roads, in the city, to distribute water toa larger population.


3.6.6 Solid-Waste ManagementMunicipal solid waste (MSW) consists of all thewaste generally associated with residential areas,such as domestic waste, plastics, paper bags,glass pieces and paints. According to a surveyconducted by the IUCN, in 2011, the averageMSW generated in Gilgit was around 70 to 80tons per day. According to the same report, it wasestimated that, in 1998, the city generated MSWat a rate of 0.4 kg of waste per person per day.207

The state of the existing MSW disposal system, inthe city, can be gauged from the followingobservations during a field visit in December2013:

l There are only 3 to 4 tractor trolleys for waste

collection and disposal in the entire city.

l There are no compactor trucks available.

l The major dumping sites in the city are in the

north, on University Road and close to the

river. These dumping sites are open,

uncontrolled and are a major source of

pollution of the river.

l The solid waste, in these dumps, is set alight

and the smoke spreads throughout the city.

This is a major source of air pollution.

l Chilmas Das, a recent dump site outside the

city limits near the Nomal Road towards

Chitral, is too far away and, therefore, hardly

any waste is dumped there. Very little

garbage was seen dumped at this site. It is

also an open and uncontrolled dumping site.

Preferred Waste Disposal StrategyAccording to the population projections in Section3.5:

l The total population of Gilgit, including

Danyor and Sakwar, in 2014, will be 161,696.

l The total population of Gilgit, including

Danyor and Sakwar, in 2025, will be 330,724.

Therefore,

l In 2014, the projected MSW Generation in

the city is expected to be = 60–70 tons/day208

l By 2025, this is projected to rise to MSW

Generation (in tons) = 132

Taking account of future MSW projections for theentire city and the abysmal existing state of itsMSW disposal system, it is recommended that atleast two compactor trucks be immediatelypurchased. These trucks simultaneously collectand compact waste, which immediately reducesthe size of the disposal sites required. Waste binsthat complement the mechanical lifting-and-compaction operation of the compactor trucksshould be introduced for residences andbusinesses throughout the city.

A comprehensive solid-waste managementstrategy needs to be devised and implemented bythe Gilgit municipality. The strategy can look intodeveloping collection points at different places inthe city from which waste is collected bycompactor trucks and disposed of at a landfill siteoutside the city limits.

Exhibit 3.42: Municipal Solid Waste Generation (1998)District Urban Area Population MSW Generation (in tons @ 0.4 kg/person/day)

Gilgit Gilgit City 56,701 23

207. Karrar and Iqbal, Gilgit Report, (UN– Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering andTechnology,2011)13

208. This figure is also consistent with the approximate number revealed to us by the GBEPA officials in a meeting with them on 15th December,2013, according to which it is currently between 50–60 tons/day.


During an SEA team field visit to Gilgit inDecember 2013, the Gilgit-BaltistanEnvironmental Protection Agency (GBEPA)informed the team of ongoing feasibility studieson a “Pyrolysis and Gasification Plant’’ for the city.Such a plant converts waste into a stable supplyof electricity by using the heat generated duringwaste incineration to generate steam. This plant

will greatly benefit the MSW management systemof the city. The existing practice of burning wastein an open and uncontrolled fashion must beimmediately stopped or taken outside the citylimits. Plastics are also being burnt. This isdangerous to health and known to be the majorcause of respiratory diseases, particularly amongchildren.

Exhibit 3.43: Area Where Solid-waste-disposal Tractors are Parked

Exhibit 3.44: Nomal Road Side Walls Changing Route of River Streams


Legislation preventing the open dumping andburning of waste in the city should be enactedand strictly enforced. Hospital waste must also besimilarly regulated, ensuring it is separated fromother waste and disposed of only after treatment.The municipal authority must look into separateincinerators particularly designed to deal withhospital waste from the city. Waste recycling must be encouraged that willfurther contribute to the reduction of wastegenerated in the city. Recycling activities form amajor source of income for the poorer segment ofthe society. However, the supply of adequateprotective equipment and clothing must beensured to protect the health of the municipalworkers.

The open and unregulated dumping and burningof waste on the University Road close to the GilgitRiver requires immediate regulation to preventwaste from falling into the river and fumes fromspreading throughout the city. This dumping sitewill eventually have to be moved. Initially, therelatively new dumping site at Chilmas Das maybe a suitable alternative; however, this too willhave to be moved, as the land close to the site isowned by Karakoram International University(KIU) and slated for future expansion. With the growth of the city, there will be anincrease in businesses dealing with tourism and

hospitality. Medium- and small-scale industrieswill grow; fruit and vegetable markets will expand.These will contribute towards a growing share ofindustrial waste produced by the city. Apart fromthe need for adequate legislation and equipment,the municipal authorities in Gilgit that deal withwaste disposal will also have to invest incapacity-building measures in order to be up tothe task of effective waste management in thefuture. Local communities should also be involvedin the management of waste disposal in the cityand should be encouraged to take up the rolethrough local government mechanisms.

3.6.7 Educational FacilitiesGilgit has a high literacy rate (72%). There are anumber of educational institutions that range fromsmall tuition centers to large schools and the KIUUniversity. According to a World Bank EconomicReport on GB (2010–11), the net primary schoolenrolment in GB that year was 51%, the netmiddle-school enrollment was 17%, and only14% were enrolled at the inter-mediate (pre-university) level. These dropout rates are very highand undesirable. The KIU has been recentlyestablished to address the need for graduate andundergraduate programs for the region. Exhibit3.46 and Exhibit 3.47 provide a summary of theeducation-sector statistics in the entire province.

Exhibit 3.45: Mehnaz Fatima School. The Mehnaz Fatima School for children has anenrollment of 450 students


Exhibit 3.46: Educational Statistics Gilgit–Baltistan209

Literacy Rate

Year Male Female Both

1981 24% 3% 15%

1998 53% 22% 33%

2008 (Projected) 57% 27% 43%

Teacher-Student Ratio

Level Institutions Teaching Staff Enrollment Teacher-Student Ratio

Govt. Schools 1672 5870 151508 1:26

Govt. Colleges 15 251 6233 1:25

Total 1687 6121 157741 1:26

District-Wise Comparison (Government Vs Private)

District Government Private

Institutions Enrollment Institutions Enrollment

Gilgit 345 43188 160 21070

% age Govt. Vs Private 76% 68% 24% 32%

Exhibit 3.47: Existing Educational StatisticsEducation Facilities Number of Schools Enrollment Teachers

Male Female Co.Edu Total Male Female Total Male Female Total

Primary 427 201 868 1496 88456 64234 149690 1507 726 2233

Middle 136 70 112 318 21288 11613 32901 791 245 1036

High 111 34 42 187 7890 3192 11082 1323 350 1673

Higher Sec. Schools 3 1 2 6 114 47 161 37 15 52

Colleges 10 1 – 14 2115 573 2688 237 61 298

IT Centers 2 2 – 4 120 87 207 9 5 14

University – – 1 1 285 129 414 44 7 51

209. GB Social Welfare Organization, “Statistics Regarding the Education Sector of Gilgit–Baltistan”, Government of GB,http://www.geogilgit.org/edu_stats.php (accessed December 18, 2013)


The student-to-teacher ratio in the entire provinceis quite high. This immediately highlights thedearth of schools in the region for the burgeoningpopulation. The same trend resonates in Gilgit.There are a number of good quality primary- andsecondary-level government and private schoolsin the city. On the other hand, the pre-university,or intermediate level of education in the city, isquite poor.

Keeping in mind the population projection of thecity for 2025, at least three intermediate-leveleducational institutions need to be developedwith a capacity of 1,200 students each. The threeinstitutions, together, will cater to 2,400 boys and1,200 girls.

Due to a high rate of unemployment in the cityand a high dropout rate at school, vocationalcenters complete with boarding and lodgingfacilities will be required in the city. Thesevocational centers will be based on creatingskilled personnel in the following fields:l Woodworkingl Welding and turbine repairl Metal worksl Electrical repair works of productsl Cookingl Building construction and supervisionl Installation and repair of solar power and the

production of small unitsl Free-range poultry farming, organic farming l Hospitality industry

With an eye to the future, Gilgit will need a skilledlabor force with the requisite education to fullyutilize the benefits of its regional role.

Polytechnical and vocational institutes will ensurethe preparation of the work force to meet theneeds of the future. Suitable land available in thecity for this purpose is next to the existingPolytechnical school in Chilmas Das. At least twovocational institutes will be required for the year2025—one for boys and the other for girls.

3.6.8 IndustriesOther than the tourism, adventure sports andhospitality industries, the following sectors arealso expected to grow in the city: l Storage of warehouses for goods to and from

Chinal Fruit processing industryl Packaging and printing industry for fruit

containersl Stationery and clothing industry linked to the

education sector.l Insulation and building material for paving,

water proofing, compact, roof and wallinsulation.

l Cement industryl Wooden weaving, thread and the carpet

industry l Local handicraftsl Gemstone industry and training centers for

said

A designated industrial zone needs to bedeveloped in the city to allow for a controlledexpansion of local industries. Suitable barren landbetween 5 Ha to 15 Ha close to the KKH (N–35)should be allocated for this purpose. Theindustrial zone should be equipped with adequateinfrastructure comprising roads, electricity, andwater supply and sewerage systems.

3.6.9 Health FacilitiesAs discussed in Section 3.5.3, an additional 724beds will be required in Gilgit in 2025.

In order to accommodate this demand, a numberof smaller health facilities will need to bedeveloped around the city where patients can betreated without requiring hospitalization. This willreduce the pressure on the number of hospitalbeds in the city. For severe cases, a 250-bedteaching hospital should be developed to providethe additional beds required. This hospital can beestablished either in Chilmas Das or at Sakwar.The major sponsors for such a hospital will be theAga Khan Medical Services or the GBgovernment. The former has already run a number


of health projects successfully around GB. Theteaching hospital will also serve as a medicalinstitute, where students from all over GB will beimparted medical qualifications without beingrequired to go to other major cities in Pakistan.

3.6.10 ConclusionThe previous sections discussed the preferredstrategies for the development of various aspectsof Gilgit for the year 2025. The implementation ofall the different strategies will have to be executedin such a way that other aspects of developmentin the city are not adversely impacted. The rightbalance, however, will be governed by thephysical space available in the city for growth. Inthe next section, various urban spatial optionsthat attempt to find that balance are discussed.

3.7 Urban Spatial OptionsIt is pertinent to chalk out suitable options forgrowth in Gilgit that enable the effectiveimplementation of the recommended strategiespresented in the previous section. These optionswill guide the expansion of Gilgit and will bebased on the population projections establishedin Section 3.5. The projections anticipate andprovide for the city’s requirements up to the year2025.

The growth of a city is dependent on theadequate provision of housing, infrastructure,accessibility and sustainability—economic andotherwise. The options developed in this sectionaccommodate these factors. The choice betweenone option and another is dependent on thenature of the “candidate sites” available forgrowth in Gilgit. These sites will enable thedevelopment of the preferred strategiesdiscussed in Section 3.6 and will eventually helpform a consolidated overall spatial plan fordevelopment.

The selection of the candidate sites will take intoaccount issues such as flood risk, water logging,open space provision, job opportunity, landavailability, urban capacity, urban renewal andinfrastructure development. Areas requiringprotection, such as high-value biodiversity andconservation areas, will also be identified andpossible mitigation measures for flood risk and

landslide zones will also be considered in theassessment of the sites. The candidate sitesconsidered in this report include areas not onlywithin the city limits but also areas adjacent to it.

A consolidated strategy will be required to meetthe competing priorities of development andenvironmental preservation. Adequateinfrastructure must be capable of serving newdevelopment areas. These include efficienttransportation routes and services, educationprovision, community facilities and utilities. Inother words, any development option must alsoconsider economic viability, and the delivery ofdevelopment must be integral to the selection of apreferred spatial option. The consolidated spatialoption will form the foundation of the CMP andwill ensure the realization of the city’s widerobjectives that relate to socioeconomic growth,sustaining communities and enhancingenvironments.

In order to arrive at the consolidated approach fordevelopment, four spatial options for theexpansion of Gilgit will be discussed in thissection. Two of these options are largely based ondevelopment within the built-up areas or“brownfields” of the city; the other two are basedon a sustainable expansion of the urban area ofthe city using “greenfield” sites outside the citylimits. Each option aims to fully utilize existingbrownfield sites and to regenerate key urbanareas within Gilgit, particularly in the city center.

In the context of the CMP, greenfields areagricultural or grazing areas in the city or barrenland with no existing development on it.Brownfield sites, on the other hand, are areas orland with some form of infrastructure on them,such as houses or roads. Development thatconverts the entire city into a brownfield site is notconsidered an economic or environmentallysustainable option. Greenfields spread throughoutthe city will be considered an integral requirementof any development option chosen for the city.The spatial options discussed in this section donot define the precise boundaries fordevelopment nor do they provide exact new land-use prescriptions. The options will define thebroad geographical approaches that can be


utilized for development in the city. These optionswill allow for an analysis of the possible strategicbalances for development, which will lead to aconsolidated urban spatial strategy, which is the‘preferred option.’ The growth options are alsointended to introduce concepts for urban growthexpansion to the stakeholders in Gilgit and tostimulate debate among them in the selection ofappropriate strategies for the futurecomprehensive Master Plan. Since a large area ofland in the city belongs to the army, it should alsobe involved in the development process. Exhibit3.48 illustrates a map of the city that showsvarious options for expansion.

3.7.1 Option One – Spread Approach – LimitedPeripheral GrowthThis option is based on maximizing the use ofsuitable brownfield sites in Gilgit-urban. It will besupported by allocating new greenfield sites atthe edges of the urban settlements. This optiondoes not consider any development in Gilgit-rural.

Brownfield development is the predominantfeature of this option and the existing services ofsuch areas in the city for recreation, leisure andcommerce will be enhanced. This strategy will bethe most environmentally benign and non-evasiveoption for the development of the city. However,this will lead to the densification of the urbanareas. The main advantage of such densificationwill be the easy provision of viable andsustainable utilities and public transport systems.

3.7.2 Option Two – Spread Approach –Extensive Peripheral GrowthAs with Option One, this option is also based onmaximizing the use of suitable brownfield siteswithin the urban areas of the city, with the supportof new greenfield sites at the edges of the urbansettlements.

The main point of departure, however, is that italso considers expansion in Gilgit-rural: the ruralmozas of Danyor, Sakwar, Minawar andMuhammadabad. The expansion into the ruralareas will primarily be used for new housing unitsas well as religious spaces, recreational areas,health and education facilities.

A key advantage to consider, with this option, willbe the employment-generating activities from thedevelopment of the new housing areas. Anotheraspect will be the impact of new housing units onthe sectarian makeup of the city, and particularlythe effect they will have on the tension andconflict among the different communities livingwithin the city.

Development in the rural areas will have adetrimental effect on the environment, particularlythrough the conversion of agricultural land. Suchdevelopment can also impact the landscape,biodiversity and areas of conservation on the citylimits. This option will, therefore, require stronglegislation and administrative measures forguiding development in an environmentallysustainable manner.

3.7.3 Option Three – Sustainable UrbanExpansionOption Three will consider areas for expansion inbrownfield sites, both, within and outside theGilgit city limits. The scale of the expansion areasis generally more than 10 ha. Development inthese areas will be based on the 2025 populationprojections and address all aspects related toimproving the quality of life and meeting theeconomic objectives of the city at the same time.Along with the 10 ha sites, smaller sites will alsobe considered across the city.

The selection of the development areas will begoverned by the existing land use of a particulararea and the existing infrastructure around it.Areas where the two complement each otherprovide greater opportunities for economicallyviable development.

While the areas of expansion may provideopportunities for mixed-use developments, theywill largely be dominated by one major type ofland-use activity, such as either residential orrecreational activities.

3.7.4 Option Four – Mixed Use for MajorDevelopment AreasOption Four also considers development onbrownfield sites within and outside the city limits.However, it also considers expansion options

153Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 3.48: Proposed Strategic Concept Plan of Gilgit


using one or more of the greenfield sites outsideGilgit. Such an expansion is effectively thecreation of a new town or settlement along with awide range of uses and infrastructure services.The scale of the greenfield area required will be inexcess of 100 Ha. Development in this area willcreate employment, retail outlets, recreationfacilities and provisions for health and education.

For this option to be effective, considerableinvestments will have to go towards infrastructure.Implementation of this option will involve the lossof significant areas of greenfield, which raises theconcern of the potential loss of green spaces andamenity areas. A development strategy of thisnature will be required to address and enhancethe existing biodiversity and environmentalfeatures of the city. Exhibit 3.49 summarizes thestrengths and constraints of the four options.

3.7.5 Preferred Option – Option FourOption Four is the preferred option for theconsolidated spatial urban plan for Gilgit. It willform the basis of the final shape of the CMP in thenext section. It provides a combination of thedevelopment of expansion sites outside the cityand the densification of urban areas within it. Itaims to preserve existing greenfield areas in thecity.

The implementation of Option Four will have tolook towards building avenues for economicgrowth that accommodate a target population of330,724, in the city, in 2025, and a seasonal influxof tourists in addition to this figure. Demand forhousing, land and water supply will also need tobe provided for. The direction for growth of thecity will need to be established so that land canbe acquired at an early date. This will curb landspeculation by developers. Road networks andtransportation corridors will be established, alongwith sewerage and water networks. The issue ofcustomary water rights in the city will also beaddressed.

Pursuing this option will also include looking intogenerating sources of revenue through tourismand through user charges on utilities provided bymunicipal services in the city. A model touristvillage can be developed to protect and enhancethe environment of the city. A viable urbantransportation system for the inhabitants alsoneeds to be in place by then.

A substantial area totaling at least 200 ha ofbrownfield within and outside the city limits will berequired to develop income-generation schemes,industries and warehouses, and schools (Exhibit3.48). Existing barren sites towards Chilmas Dasand Sakwar would be used as the expansion

Exhibit 3.49: Matrix Analysis of Spatial OptionsOptions

Option One:

Limited Peripheral Growth

Option Two:

Extreme Peripheral Growth

Option Three:

Sustainable urban expansion

Option Four:

Mixed Use of MajorDevelopment Areas

Strengths

• Use of existing resources and facilities

• Compact city plan

• Pedestrian access to all facilities

• City facilities are being used includinginfrastructure.

• City facilities are being used includinginfrastructure.

• Pressure on city center reduced

• Compact planning, but some additionalfacilities will have to be provided

• Has both brownfield and greenfieldsites, leading to flexible options

Constraints

• Land to be made available

• Barren land only within city limits

• Increased pressure on the existingcity center

• Availability of barren land withincity limits.

• Land availability

• Availability of a large tract of barrenland, in close proximity to Gilgit,that has good links to the city

155Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 3.50: Preferred Land-Use and Strategy Plan for Gilgit 2025


areas outside the city. Development in Sakwar willblend into the peripheral development of Jutial. Inthe process of development, the water issues ofJutial will also be resolved.

3.8 Preferred Land-Use and DevelopmentStrategy for Gilgit 2025In the previous section, Option Four was selectedas the preferred urban spatial strategy fordevelopment in Gilgit. This section providesdetailed recommendations for growth anddevelopment, in the city, based on the preferredstrategy. Future work on any comprehensivemaster-planning exercise for the city is expectedto build on the preferred land-use and strategyplan for Gilgit elaborated in this section.The preferred land use and strategy plan forGilgit, illustrated by Exhibit 3.50 and Exhibit 3.51on a map of the city, is dynamic and adaptable toboth the current and future needs of the city’sresidents and administration. In order to developthe city in the future, according to the preferredstrategy, some of the existing undesirable land-use practices must be immediately stopped. Gilgithas a tendency to follow a linear, ribbondevelopment pattern, which will leave the landbehind the developed areas locked andinaccessible.

The topography of Gilgit also provides additionalconstraints. The city is located in a valley and hastwo entry and two exit points. In the past, thesefour points have suffered directly and indirectlyfrom natural disasters. To the north are mountainsprone to landslides, and towards the east, westand south, seasonal streams or nullahs have atendency to occasionally flood during heavy rains.The Mujahid Colony is one example of an existingresidential area, on the base of the northernmountains, comprising people from very lowsocioeconomic backgrounds. This colony, andsimilar areas exposed to natural hazards, must beaccounted for in the future development of thecity. Exhibit 3.52 indicates existing hazard zoneswithin Gilgit.

Gilgit has two major rivers and several naturalnullahs that can adequately provide drinkingwater for the population. Due consideration must

be granted towards regulating the use of thenullahs to reduce the high level of pollutants inthem. Several treatment plants are located acrossthe city (Exhibit 3.53). These must be developedin an integrated manner, as recommended in thepreferred strategies for development in Gilgit(Exhibit 3.50).

The preferred land-use and development plan forGilgit, going into 2025, places health andeducation as a priority for the CMP. The existinginfrastructure for health and education can beseen in Exhibit 3.54. The existing mismanagementof development in the city and the abysmalcondition of the municipal services has resulted indeteriorating health of the inhabitants. Theincidence of water-borne diseases and respiratoryillnesses are high. Existing medical services in thecity are not sufficient to provide for populationgrowth within the next 10 years. As far as literacyis concerned, Gilgit has one of the highest literacylevels within Pakistan. This is a precedent thatneeds to be maintained in the future. Theexpansion of Gilgit on both its axis provides thenecessary space to develop educational andmedical facilities.

Exhibit 3.50 provides a detailed illustration of thepreferred land-use strategies for development indifferent parts of the city. It puts forth the futuregrowth directions and other development options.The following sections explain in detail thedevelopment in different parts of the city. In orderto implement the preferred strategies, strong legaland institutional frameworks will be required,along with a sound financial sustainability plan.These are discussed in Sections 4 and 5respectively. At present, Gilgit facesenvironmental degradation. And if not checkednow, it will end up like most metropolitan centersof Pakistan with major issues that range from lossof administrative control on government landleading to encroachments, to infrastructuredilapidation, land-use violations and civicinsecurity. The city is also a potential hub for thetourism industry and if properly tapped willprovide locals with a vital source of income.

157Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 3.51: Preferred Growth-Areas Plan for Gilgit 2025


Exhibit 3.52: Potential Hazard Zones within Gilgit


Exhibit 3.53: Existing Water Supply Complexes within Gilgit


Exhibit 3.54: Existing Health and Educational Facilities within Gilgit


Exhibit 3.55: Conceptual Master Plan 2025 RecommendationsStrategy Recommendation

Land-use Zoning and Strategy • Expansion of plan towards Sakwar on barren land

• Urban infill on barren land close to Gilgit. Peripheral growth

• Extensive peripheral growth

Transportation Plan • Development of two bypass roads

• Upgrading the main roads

• Removal of encroachment along the main transport corridors for ease of traffic flow

Urban Transport • Improve urban transportation facilities and routes.

Education • Provision of the following

• 2 boys’ schools + colleges

• 1 girls’ school + college

• Vocational institute

• Boys’ institute located in Chilmas Das

• Girls’ institute to be located within the city area

• Teaching hospital and nursing school

Health • Upgrading of the District Hospital to a resourceful start

• Teaching hospital to be setup

• Upgrading of the existing eye hospital

Housing • Establishment of a new housing/residential sector self-contained

• Housing colony for government employees

Recommendation/Tourism • Establishment of playing fields

• Football field/stadium/swimming pool

Tourism • Development of the model village, for tourists, with regional architecture typology

• Walking tracks/cycle tracks connecting various sites

• Development of trails along the Nullah, bird-watching sites

• Developing picnic spots along the riverfront and Kargah Nullah, Kargah Buddha, Danyor stones and the Taj Mogul monument

Bio Diversity Sites • Intensify Bio-diversity sites along the conservation areas. Visit to animal sanctuary vantage points

Industry • Establishment of warehousing, packaging and packing plants for fruit preservation

• Traditional Industry and its further value-added items

Riverfront Development • Riverfront to be developed as a strategic asset to be enjoyed by all

Water Supply • Water to be seen as a serene reserve to be supplied to all

• Community has first right

• Other communities on payment for water rights


Exhibit 3.56: Benefits of the preferred ScenarioParameter Benefits

Brownfield Sites on Periphery • The use of brownfield sites only is not recommended as a holistic approach; both greenfields and brownfields are to be included

• Compact city centre for pedestrian use

Barren Sites Peri-urban Areas • Barren sites are advocated for development, thereby saving agricultural areas

• Sustained urban growth through site identification and assessment

Urban Agriculture • Improving the sustainability and economic condition of small urban agricultural land holdings: Bringing it at par with other land usages

• Integration of the local customs and traditional diet within the future Master Plan

• Social integrity to be conserved; protection and continuance of the existing practice of urban farming

Growth Directions • Two growth directions instead of one. Flexibility in the plan; more amenities and opportunities

• Spread approach instead of ribbon growth along roads

• Access to limited lands and those areas serving as potential land banks

Urban Renewal Area • Opportunities for urban-renewal sites identified

• With action plan areas, greater economic opportunities

• Proposing a city-center square

Regional Bypass Transit Corridor • Unimpeded traffic flow through transport corridors without negatively impacting Gilgit city

• Regional dry port potential around main highway

Present Trends • Following existing growth trends towards Sakwar

Economic Opportunities • Are enhanced with greater sustainability

• Provision of employment opportunities through trade and service sector upgrading

• Industrial zone proposed

Strategy Recommendation

Sewerage • Establishment of zonal sewerage-treatment plants. Disposal of treated effluents

• User charges to be introduced

Legislation • Legislation for riverfront development

• Classification of agricultural land within the urban area

Financial Aspect • Payment of user charges

Urban Agriculture • Funds generated from new development

• Water-supply charges to communities

• Urban agriculture to be developed and that will compete with other land usages Model units to be made

• Pilot project shall be set up for the farmers to learn from new modes of urban agriculture, to be made operational, that cross over applications between agriculture,sports, tourism, and leisure, and shall be part of any strategy


Parameter Benefits

Reduce Ethnic Tension • Enhanced and distributed civic activities

• Smaller mosques

Institutionalization • Legislations governing land resource

• Increase in tax net through formalization of space and activity

Transport • Inclusive strategy

• Facilitate environment-friendly strategy

Connectivity • Multiple entry and exit points into the city

• Provision of air, surface linkage with the rest of the country

• Inter-city connectivity through looped transit corridors

Recreational Facility • Revenue-generating, self-sufficient activity

• Social space provision

• Adapted use of existing, underutilized recreational spaces

Biodiversity • Provision of new spaces for local flora and fauna to flourish

• Protection and preservation of existing species through legislative measures

• Preservation of natural habitat

• Controlled development within biodiversity-sensitive zones

Regional and Indigenous • Preservation of the indigenous building form through the model-village concept

Architecture • Legislative support for the local building craft

Human Resource • Opportunities for both vocational and mainstream education

• Local craftspersons to be trained in entrepreneurship

Community Empowerment • Stakeholder participation in all decision making.

• Citizen ownership of the city

Financial Self-sufficiency • City to generate its own revenues through services provided

Regional Icon • In terms of service and infrastructure provision

• Architectural articulation to be formalized through legislation

• Strong administrative support for development initiatives

• Centre for trade and industry (formation of regional chamber of commerce)

Bio–diversity • Provision of new spaces for local flora and fauna to flourish

• Protection and preservation of existing species through legislative measures

• Preservation of natural habitat

• Controlled development within bio-diversity-sensitive zones


Areas of urban agriculture are to be saved andfurther developed so that they can compete withother land usages; land is to be rearranged interms of co-operative farms with access tomarkets. Thus, the challenge for the CMP is tofind out how new modes and types of peri-urbanagriculture can be invented, implemented andaccepted by the stakeholders and a moresustainable agriculture can be conceived andapplied, through a multilayered agriculturalstrategy that will anchor urban agriculture as animportant objective in the urban and regionalMaster Plan of Gilgit city. The following aregeneral recommendations for sustained urbanfarming in Gilgit:l Bio-farming and greenhouse farming.

l Diversification of marketing.

l Contracts negotiating co-operative ownershipof land and produce.

l Reusing wastewater as an agricultural input.

All of the above are important elements of anyviable urban agriculture strategy, includingfarming cooperatives and the rearranging of landin terms of its use.

3.8.1 Land values Before any work on the comprehensive masterplan is conducted, one of the very first tasks, forthe government authorities in the city, is tocomplete a land-evaluation exercise of the keysites in the city.

Some of the key sites will be where futuredevelopment of the following facilities will takeplace:l Gymnasiumsl Parksl Riverfront areas for restaurantsl Commercial zonesl Water tourism l Other recreational areas

3.8.2 Candidate sites for consideration Exhibit 3.57 provides an illustration of Gilgit’sadministrative boundaries, or Mozas. Informulating the preferred option for developmentin the city, different brownfield and greenfield siteswere identified as candidate sites in and outsidethe city. Based on the area of these sites, they aresplit into “Strategic Sites,” which are over 75 ha,and “Non-Strategic Sites,” which are under 10Ha. These sites will be discussed in detail in thefollowing sections.

For the future detailed Master Plan of the city, atwo-phased screening process for the selection ofcandidate sites is strongly recommended. Stage Iof the selection process will involve engineeringand technical assessments of potential sites. Theassessment process must consider potentialhazards and threats to development on thecandidate sites. Stage II will provide all relevantstakeholders, in the development of the city, anopportunity to participate in the final selectionprocess. Considering the army owns large tractsof brownfield land in the city, it must also beinvolved in the site-selection process.

Brownfield SitesOver time, Gilgit has developed linearly along thenorthern and southern banks of the Gilgit River.The major brownfield sites in the city are on thesouthern bank and include the city center—firstdeveloped by the British during the colonial era—the airport, Jutial, and the inter-city bus terminalarea.

Some of the constraints involved in utilizing thisland for development will be:l The propensity of sectarian clashes in the

area

l Limited space for future expansion due tosingle-lane road width

l Open and green spaces hidden behind highwalls and commercial outlets

l Agricultural land

165Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 3.57: Gilgit Existing Mozas/Administrative Boundaries


The city center consists of mixed-usedevelopment and comprises commercial,residential, recreational and religious facilities. Theinhabitants dwelling in the brownfield area in thecity center predominantly belong to the Shiacommunity. There are significant parcels ofagricultural land, in this brownfield area, that areused for subsistence farming. Most amenities arealso located close by.

There is a considerable amount of greenfield areanear the airport, particularly south of the runway.Any future development in this area must, first, beapproved for suitability to airport operations bythe concerned aviation authorities. The City Parkis also currently located at the end of the runway.If the runway is extended, the City Park must berelocated somewhere close to the city center and

the Shaheed-e-Millat Road will have to bererouted around the extension.

The green plains around the airport are very fertileand should be developed into a source ofagricultural produce for subsistence farming forthe residents. A large amount of empty area in thesame direction is owned by the army. These landsshould be incorporated into the developmentplans of the city through coordination with thearmy.

A mix of communities inhabits the areas of Jutialand Kaunas, in Gilgit.210 While there are nosectarian conflicts here, there is trouble betweenthe communities on the issue of water rights.

Exhibit 3.58: Greenfield Land in Barmas



Exhibit 3.59: Barren Land in and around old Jutial Nullah

Exhibit 3.60: Road coming from KKH (right-of-way is 40 feet wide) showing markers


Other constraints in some of the areas towardsthe south of the city, close to the nullahs ormountain slopes, are from natural hazards. Someof the residential areas in Jutial, close to the JutialNullah, are at risk of being exposed to floods fromthe nullah.211 Development in such areas needssubstantial remedial measures in terms oflandslide and flood protection.

Brownfield sites on the northern bank of the GilgitRiver include the area on the Kaunas Plateau,Mujahid Colony, the city courts, the Eid Gah andthe KIU. There are some constraints in utilizingthese sites for development. Solid waste iscurrently being dumped and burnt in an opendumping site close to the KIU on the UniversityRoad. The area on the northern bank close to themountain slopes is also prone to landslides.212

An existing sewerage-development plan has beendesigned by the Public Works Department (PWD)in the area, however, construction work has not

yet started. Choosing this area for brownfielddevelopment, therefore, provides the opportunityof modifying the existing plan to provide for largerdevelopments. The provision of water andelectrical utilities can also be made a part of thesewerage plan. A treatment plant can also beadded to the plan to treat waste from the newdevelopments in the area before it is disposedinto the Gilgit River.

Development in some of the brownfield sites,particularly along the Nomal Road, will require theconstruction of new roads to make these areasaccessible. The government will also be requiredto acquire the land for development and to ensurethere are no community claims over it.

Greenfield Areas – Danyor and SultanabadExhibit 3.62 lists the area of land available forgreenfield development in the various Mozas.Danyor and Sultanabad are prime greenfield areaswith agricultural fields that form a vital part of the

Exhibit 3.61: Photograph showing Danyor in Autumn

211. UN sustainable urbanization report212. Karrar and Iqbal, Gilgit Report, (UN– Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology,2011)


agrarian economy of the city. These areas are asource of vegetables, for Gilgit, for at least sixmonths of the year. The Danyor Nullah suppliesboth areas water for drinking and irrigation. Watercan also be pumped up from the Gilgit River,which flows nearby.

These areas are close to the KKH, Nomal Road,and the Gilgit–Chitral Road. If strict developmentcontrols are not exercised, regarding sitedevelopment and building construction, theseareas would be under great risk of eitherbecoming prey to urban sprawl or to speculativedevelopment. Heavy traffic on the KKH willeffectively cut both Danyor and Sultanabad intotwo parts. In order to protect these areas, thesection of the KKH that passes through or closeto Danyor and Sultanabad should be rerouted. Ifthat is not possible, remedial policies will have tobe formulated.

The part of Danyor to the west of the KKH can beutilized for mixed use, while protecting the

eastern bank of the Gilgit River. This area shouldbe marked as a conservation area and the forestcover in it should be preserved. If this site is leftvacant, it will be difficult to control urban sprawlinto it.

The new provincial secretariat of GB is beingconstructed close to the inter-city bus terminalnear Jutial. This 2 km-by-15 km strip of land will,therefore, see a lot of associated developmenttake place around it. This area is barren and doesnot have any cultivated land or significant waterrights. Thus, this area is a prime greenfield andthe total area available for development here isabout 3000 kanals. The area next to the GBsecretariat and the road may be planned toinclude an open space for communal activitiessuch as a town hall. The establishment of thesecretariat will also lead to accelerated,haphazard development leading to urban sprawl,in this part of the city, if adequate planning is notundertaken.

213. The above information was taken from Mr. Arif Hussain Zameer from the GDA and the site has been visited on ground as well. For the CMPstudy, the above mentioned available land use will have to be confirmed, on the ground, through acquisition of prime data from the site.

Exhibit 3.62: Area available for Greenfield development in various Mozas213Area / Moza Area in Kanals

Jutial 500/1000

Khomar 100

Nagral 200

Amphary 200

Naikoi 500

Barmus 1000

Nupura 1500

Basin Near River 2000

Chilmas Das 3000

Sakwar 3000/4000

Minawar 3000/4000


Exhibit 3.63: Boys playing on barren land at Naikoi, a Peri-Urban Site

Exhibit 3.64: Danyor area from Jutial showing barren land and fertile Danyor Valley


3.8.3 Sakwar – GreenfieldTo the east of the Jutial Nullah, and between theGilgit River and Sakwar Nullah, is the Moza ofSakwar. The population densities are not veryhigh here as, in the past, the nullah has floodedthe area. Sakwar has a high potential of servingas a greenfield site.

Sakwar is located at the tail end of the Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam Road, which leads to the citycenter and Raja Bazaar and is one of the maincommercial roads of Gilgit. The road also goesthrough the army land, in the city, thus splitting itinto two large parts. Any expansion of the roadinto three or four lanes will, therefore, requireapproval from the army.

The Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam Road is one of themajor roads in the city and it should be widenedto four lanes with proper medians, bylanes andbus stops up to the point where it currently

connects to the KKH. A T-junction shouldeventually be designed where the two roadsconnect. Until then, a large roundabout at thelocation will suffice.

The development around the road should bemixed use and include warehouses or lightengineering industry with housing and somecommercial areas. Mitigation measures for naturalhazards, such as flooding, must be incorporatedhere and land-ownership disputes between thegovernment and the locals must be resolved.Most of this land is currently barren and suitablefor development.

It is also recommended that the Moza boundaryfor Sakwar be extended towards the SakwarNullah. In that way, more land will be available fordevelopment, thereby taking pressure off Danyor,which is a prime agricultural area vital to theeconomy of the city.

Exhibit 3.65: Sakwar barren sites greenfield area.


3.8.4 Muhammadabad – Greenfield

The Moza of Muhammadabad is to the east of

Danyor and has the Jallalabad road passing along

its northern boundary. This greenfield site has

good agricultural land and should be developed

as a future land bank. The GDA can purchase this

land in anticipation of a future rise in land prices

due to surrounding development.

The boundaries of Muhammadabad should be

extended towards Oshkhan Das, along the Gilgit

River, and legislation should be passed to protect

vegetation and biodiversity there against

development and encroachment. Adequate

safeguards will be required for controlling

developments, particularly along the Jallalabad

Road.

3.8.5 Urban renewal of the City Center –

Brownfield

While there is no official demarcation of the area

referred to as the city center in this report, to

locals, it is the area where the Raja Bazaar is

located. There are two major mosques in close

vicinity here and a polo ground between them

(Exhibit 3.66).

The city center is prone to waterlogging, and

there is an urgent need for a proper sewerage

system to be developed here. There is a web of

disorganized overhead wires that run across the

city center and which are not only a visual

nuisance but a source of danger to pedestrians.

These need to be properly routed through

underground channels.

Exhibit 3.66: Raja Bazaar area behind which is the polo ground


Façade treatment and urban-design guidelinesshould be formulated for development in the citycenter based on the following factors: l Height of buildings

l Façade material

l Roof and walls insulation

l Fenestration size of openings and itstreatment

l Building lines and the articulation of façadeguidelines

l Car parking, garages with plans for revenuegeneration

l Upgrading of narrow streets, sidewalks,pavements, car parking and services

l Controlling waterlogging in the area (here themunicipal utilities have completely brokendown in terms of sewerage and garbage)

l Chinar trees to be protected.

The polo ground and the area around it should beopened up and the surrounding area developedas a city park. The Gora Kabaristan (Cemetery)should be recognized as a site of cultural heritageand renovated and properly maintained. Threewater channels run through the city-center calledthe Upper Khul, Lower Khul and Sardar Khul.These flow from the Kargah Nullah and supplydrinking water to the city-center. The renewal andmaintenance of these channels should form anintegral part of urban renewal strategies.

If modern urban principles of development arefollowed in earnest, Gilgit’s city center willbecome a vibrant place for tourists, hotels,shopping and restaurants. Visitors staying atdifferent hotels in the city will travel to the citycenter to enjoy the culture, activities and food.The city center will, therefore, become the biggesteconomic engine for the entire city. Thisopportunity must be seized by the communityand the city center must be renovated alongmodern urban-design strategies.

Exhibit 3.67: Waterlogged area outside Raja Bazaar


3.8.6 Recreational Parks

Major new city parks and smaller recreational

areas should be developed next to the riverbanks

close to the city center and the nullahs around the

city. The parks should be accessible by public

transport and should be designed to blend in with

and enhance the local landscape.

Exhibit 3.69 indicates the existing recreational

spots in and around Gilgit. It also marks the

locations of known tourist spots in the city such

as the Danyor Rocks in Danyor Valley, the polo

grounds—both existing and new ones— and

hiking attractions. Gilgit also has a vast range of

archeological sites, such as the Kargah Buddha

and a museum housing ancient Buddhist

manuscripts.

A recreational circuit should be developed that

connects all the existing recreational facilities and

tourist sites in the city. The circuit should be

based on easy access of all the locations on the

circuit via public transport, walking trails and

biking tracks. The circuit should also be linked to

the major commercial and residential areas of the

city. It should also ensure that the disabled are

accorded an equal opportunity to enjoy the

recreational facilities the city has to offer.

Such a circuit will guarantee all inhabitants equal

participation in the economy of the city. It will also

ensure revenue generation from tourism is spread

throughout the city.

Exhibit 3.68: Dilapidated condition of buildings: No character, no preservation evidentwith overhead lines, no Chinar trees.

175Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit 3.69: Existing Recreational Areas / Spots – Danyor Rocks images taken from http://www.flickr.com/photos/edanial/10381270363/


3.8.7 Bicycle TrailsAs Gilgit is mostly flat and not more than 17 kmlong, a network of bicycle trails should bedeveloped throughout the city. The network canbe a mix of dedicated bicycle tracks and bikelanes on the roads. Not only will thisaccommodate the inhabitants of the city,especially in the summer, it will also be a massivesource of tourist activity across different parts ofthe city. Exhibit 3.70 shows the Scenic Bike Trailsin Barmas.

3.8.8 Tourist AttractionsThe tourism industry is expected to grow in thefuture and has the potential to become a majorsector of Gilgit’s economy. To ensure the city canreap maximum benefits from its tourism potential,particularly in the summer months, alldevelopment in the city must preserve all ofGilgit’s features that are a source of attraction fortourists. New development in the city must alsoensure Gilgit can maximize the benefit of being

the first stop for visitors travelling further up theprovince of GB. Tourism within the summermonths will play an important role in Gilgit’s futureprosperity.

The following sites in Gilgit need to be developedas major tourist attractions.l Kargah Buddha (Exhibit 3.71), 3 Stupas and

archeological sites in the city.

l Taj Moghul Monument.

l Rocks with ancient inscriptions at Danyorfound on private land.

l Development of hiking and walking trailstowards the tourist attractions mentionedabove.

l Bird watching – sanctuaries to be developedalong the nullahs with grass, shrubs and treecover from where birds can be seen andheard.

Exhibit 3.70: Potential for scenic bike trails in Barmas


l Visits to biodiversity and conservation areas.

l Development of a public square in front ofthe polo ground in the city center (Exhibit3.72).

l A tourist village in the city.

A large tourist village should be developed aroundDanyor. The main objective of the village will be topreserve the agricultural fields and green areas inthat part of the city. The village will be readilyassimilated into the landscape. It shall providedemonstrable environmental, social andeconomic benefits that outweigh any harmcaused to the area in which it is located. And it isto be accessible by public transport from theregional and national transport corridor. Easyaccessibility will be a prime concern for thelocation of the model village. It will enhance localbuilding skills and the provision of restaurants will

contribute to the sustainability of Danyor. Bed andbreakfast motels can also be developed, here, inthe same architectural style as the local villages.

3.8.9 Minerals and QuarriesGilgit has a diverse geology with a large range ofminerals and aggregates that includes sand andgravel, limestone, sandstone, granite and igneousrocks. Stone and sand mining quarries are visibleat the riverbanks and the slopes of the mountainssurrounding the city.

It is, therefore, important that a geologicalclassification is conducted, which identifies thedifferent parts of the city prone to quarrying andmining activities. Doing so will allow the GDA tocarefully control where such activities can becarried out and restrict others that may potentiallyadversely affect the environmental features anddevelopment plans of the city.

Exhibit 3.71: Kargah Buddha to be conserved as a tourist attraction


3.9 Avenues for Revenue Generation in GilgitIn order to make future developments in the cityfinancially viable, avenues for revenue generationneed to be designed and developed for therelevant government departments. One of theprimary sources of revenue will be in the form of“user charges” for various services the cityadministration provides to the inhabitants. Someof the services for which user charges can becollected are as follows:l Charges for water delivered directly to

houses or to a central point in a residentialneighborhood

l Charges for sewerage disposal, whichincludes its collection and treatment

l Charges for solid-waste disposal and itstreatment

l Road-user charges on some parts of the roadnetwork in the city such as:- Parking charges- Toll tax on bridges - City-center congestion charges

Revenue can also be generated, by the GDA, byselling newly developed commercial areas in thecity. The revenue collected from selling thesecommercial areas can, then, be invested indeveloping residential areas. Residential units canbe sold at suitable premiums on the actual cost.

The user charges will be transferred directly to theresidents. The capacity and willingness to paymust, first, be determined before any rates for thecharges are fixed.

The existing municipal services in the city are in adilapidated state. One of the primary reasons forthis is the lack of available funds. User chargesare essential in tackling some of the majorexisting problems, in the city, that are related tosewerage and waste disposal. Safe collection,treatment and disposal of sewerage will reducethe incidence of child mortality and overall healthexpenditures. Similarly, the provision of cleandrinking water, at various points in the city, allpumped directly to the residents, will massivelycontribute to a reduction in diseases such ascholera and hepatitis. This will further help reducethe load on the city’s existing medical facilities.

Exhibit 3.72: Area to be opened up as an urban square in front of polo ground


Solid-waste collection and disposal is anotherimportant municipal service that can be improvedby collecting user charges for domestic andcommercial producers of solid waste. A specialsolid-waste treatment facility must be set up forhospital waste.

User charges for road use will be recoveredthrough vehicle registration charges and sometolls collected on specifically designedexpressways. To control inner city congestion, theowners of private cars may be asked to paycongestion charges. Residents of the city center,however, will be exempt from this fee.

Since development in the greenfield areas will benew, part or all of the land and infrastructurecharges can be included in their selling price.Maintenance charges can be implemented for theupkeep of the developed areas and have differentrates for residential, commercial and institutionaluses. Even recreational parks and public toiletscan charge a nominal user charge for upkeep.

Initially, the implementation of user andmaintenance charges may be met withopposition. However, as improvements inmunicipal services becomes visible to all, agradual, phased-in implementation of usercharges, in the city, will be more accepted. Allcommunities and stakeholders must be consultedthroughout the phase-wise implementation of theuser charges. The financial sustainability plan(FSP) for the future development of Gilgit will bediscussed in greater detail in Section 4.

3.10 Legislative and Institutional FrameworkGuidelinesThe following guidelines will need to bedeveloped for legislation:l Legislation for acquiring private land

l Legislation to protect right-of-way of the riverand nullahs

l Legislation to bar nuisance and non-conforming land use

l Legislation to protect right-of-way of roadsfrom encroachments

l Legislation for acquiring land banks for futuredevelopment

l Legislation for maintaining agricultural areasin the city and to curtail encroachments on it

Such legislation will clearly lay out the communityconsultative process in terms of land acquisition.Legislation regarding water rights shall also bestated so that excess water is not wasted butused efficiently. The legislation on the distributionof water has to be particularly clear andunambiguous, as this is an issue of conflictamong users.

Legislation regarding the development of urbanfarming will aim to curtail the conversion ofagriculture land to other purposes.

The right-of-way of the rivers and the nullahsneeds to be defined and reserved for use by all.Legislation regarding the use of riverbank materialshould aim to protect the banks from soil erosion.Mining of gravel and other aggregates from theriverbanks needs to be strictly controlled. Theinstitutional framework required for thedevelopment of Gilgit will be discussed in greaterdetail in Section 5.

3.11 Implementing the Conceptual Master PlanA master plan is a tool to guide and manage thegrowth of cities in a planned manner. It has itsorigin in the English Town and Country PlanningAct of 1947. While it has long been discarded inthe United Kingdom, the master-planningapproach is still being followed in manydeveloping countries, including Pakistan.214

Unfortunately, master plans prepared for severalmajor cities of Pakistan, in the past, have notbeen implemented effectively.

214. Rizwan Hameed and Obaidullah Nadeem, Challenges of Implementing Urban Master Plans: The Lahore Experience, International Journal ofHuman and Social Sciences 1:1 2006


Master plans are successfully implemented whenthey represent a vision that brings together theconcerns of different interest groups and whentheir recommendations create a groundswell ofcommunity and political support. Good masterplans are flexible and involve the community andother stakeholders from the outset, giving theplan a legitimate base and a better chance ofcoming to fruition. Master plans can build visibilityand credibility for a nonprofit group and can helptarget projects and raise money. They becomepromotional documents for the development of anarea.

The CMP for Gilgit is robust, helps raiseawareness and provides for economicopportunities while promoting environmentalsustainability. It does not advocate thedevelopment of only the brownfield option but amix of both approaches. It is designed to providefor an increase in the future population of the cityand to utilize the population bulge as a work forcefor the development of the city.

The CMP advocates for developing barren sites,whether greenfield or brownfield. It goes with theexisting trend of development east of Gilgit. Itpromotes development of brownfield sites inJutial Moza, which is adjacent to Sakwar. Thedevelopment of a model tourist village in Danyorand the opening up of recreational parks alongthe Gilgit River as well as residential, educationand institutions along the Chilmas Das area nextto Hunza River are seen as important areas ofdevelopment, besides the opening up of thetransportation corridor to bypass Gilgit. Therecreational and tourist potential of Gilgit isenormous and it needs to be tapped. Theenhanced development of urban agriculture tocompete with other land usage shall be seen asan important factor that leads to sustainability.

As part of the outcome of this SEA, a set of draftTerms of Reference (ToRs) were also preparedwith the aim of assisting the GDA in developingtheir own ToRs for engaging consultants for thedevelopment of the future Plan. These can befound in Appendix A.

3.11.1 Potential RiskEthnic strife and civic turmoil pose the mostpotential risk for the implementation of the CMP.Furthermore, if the financial and the legalframework is not in place, then it will go the wayof the Pakistan Environmental Planning andArchitectural Consultants Ltd. (PEPAC) 1977 plan,which did not take these factors intoconsideration. The use of the water rights ofvarious communities will have to be respectedand a system for its distribution needs to beensured. Agricultural land within the city shall notbe converted into commercial buildings,especially in the Danyor and Sultanabad area.Ribbon development along the main roads, whichcurtails access to the hinterland, will also have tobe addressed. The question of large tracts ofarmy land within the city, and its development, willhave to be discussed with the current authoritiesin regard to its future zoning and land use. Landspeculation, if not curtailed at an early date, canalso play havoc with the master plan. This has tobe addressed now by establishing land banks.

3.11.2 Unsuccessful Master Plan Examples ofPakistan: In Pakistan, master planning exercises havelargely not been successful due to a variety ofreasons, which include a lack of political will andgovernance, legislation, or inadequateadministrative and financial planning. Landacquisition is still a chronic problem for theimplementation of master plans, with a major roleplayed by land developers.

FaisalabadThe urban development report by Mr. MurtazaHaider states that there are “numerous low-income communities, which are home toblue-collar labor that lack proper water supplyand sanitation in Faisalabad.” Moreover, the sizeand density of communities has increased, overtime, and the lack of adequate municipal serviceshas persisted.

The lack of sanitation has resulted in streets filledwith sewage and other waste. Poor sanitary


conditions have resulted in higher incidences ofdisease. Women and children suffer the mostbecause they spend the most time in theunhygienic environment. The community relies ondonkey carts to supply water to the households. 215

KarachiA critical issue in land management is theextremely high percentage of governmentownership. Nearly 90% of the Karachi’s land ispublicly owned. The problem has arisen wherepublic sector institutions could not respond to orrespond inappropriately to the needs anddevelopment trends of the population they serve.The government simply does not have thecapacity to effectively meet people’s demand forresidential and commercial land. The supply ofland and the available stock of commercial andresidential land in the market have not beensufficient. As a result, land prices have beenpushed up and out of the reach of the averagehomeowner and small business operator. 216 Theexpansion of the informal economy – the spreadof slums and squatter colonies— are alsocontributing factors.

Lahore The master planning practice in Lahore has onlypartially achieved the objectives of planneddevelopment. Key impediments identified relate toexcessive delays in plan preparation and theapproval process, a weak institutional set up, alack of coordination among governmentdepartments, inadequate financial resources,legal lacunas, a lack of dissemination of plansand, above all, a lack of political will.

3.11.3 Potential within Gilgit City Urban development areas for local action planswill be identified, such as the Raja Bazaar areas.It’s upgrading will be seen as an important featureof the Gilgit city development, i.e. as an urbanrenewal exercise, and will include the following:l Preparation and timely implementation of the

CMP

l Involvement of the stakeholders at everypoint of the planning process

l Ambitious strategies formed to curtail existingproblems faced by city residents and toprovide for the future needs of the city

l Preparation of suitable land classification,land usage, and land development policiesand approaches

l Community- and gender-sensitive policies tobe implemented

l Conservation and preservation of valuablelands in terms of environment protection

l Adequate provisions for the existing residentsand future requirements based onappropriate population projections

l Envisioning Gilgit City as a future model cityfor the country

l The tourist potential, including adventuretourism and cultural tourism, shall aim toserve as an educational and health hub of theregion.

l Development of urban agriculture to competewith other land usages

l Access to established conservation andtourist-developed areas in terms of roads orwalking trails

3.11.4 ConstraintsThe following constraints will have to besurmounted before establishing a master-planexercise. l Current data and its availability

l Inadvertent growth and rapid urbanizationduring the projected period

215. http://www.regionomics.com/INDUS/Pak_chapter_ADB.pdf (date accessed 20 December, 2013).216. Published in The Express Tribune, September 23rd, 2013.


l Natural disasters and non-availability ofmitigation measures for their aftermath

l Sectarian clashes that are unabated

l Limited availability of resources to curb thesolid-waste and municipal-waste -management failure of municipal services

Water-rights issues and its equitable generationl Traffic management in existing areas and

resolving confusion at various nodes andjunctions

l Land speculation can damage the master-plan process from the very beginning.

l Intensive training mechanisms have to beevolved to make urban agriculturecompetitive with other land uses

l Establishment of farm co-operatives and therearranging of urban agriculture land

Prime data will be required for the Master Planand area development schemes. Action areas willneed to be developed. Waterlogging, which is aprime concern for the existing urban areas, willhave to be properly addressed, particularly in theRaja Bazaar area. Thus, it will be necessary toacquire prime data for housing demand and trafficforecasting before launching the major master-planning exercise.


This section introduces the need and importance of developing a financialsustainability plan (FSP) as part of future development in Gilgit. Governmentorganizations in Gilgit, including the Gilgit Development Authority (GDA), theGilgit Municipal Corporation (MC) and the Water and Sanitation Authority(WASA) are the institutional bodies engaged in maintaining the basic utilities ofthe city, such as water supply, sewage management, solid-waste managementand infrastructure management. This FSP provides guidelines to implementthe recommendations of the Conceptual Master Plan (CMP) proposed inSection 3.9. The Financial Sustainability Plan (FSP) will calculate theapproximate capital and operational costs of the provision of basic utilities inGilgit and will recommend avenues for revenue generation based on thepreferred growth strategy outlined in the CMP.

4.1 ObjectivesThe objectives behind developing the FSP are as follows:l To introduce the concept of financial sustainability as part of the master

planning process of the town

l To explore budgetary and funding options available to Gilgit

l To identify potential capital and operational costs for the provision ofwater supply, sewerage-system management, solid-waste collection anddisposal, and road infrastructure upgrading and management usingsecondary sources and standards.

l To provide general recommendations for possible revenue-generationmethods to fund the maintenance of the above-mentioned utilities.

4.2 ScopeThe scope of the FSP is limited to cost estimations, using guidelines from theWorld Bank and the UNO, for the maintenance and operation of basic utilitiesin Gilgit. It will also explore and recommend opportunities to finance thesefrom revenues generated within the city. The cost estimation was carried outonly for the provision of water supply, sewerage-system management, solid-waste collection and disposal, and road-infrastructure upgrading andmanagement. A detailed FSP that covers the cost of all the services in Gilgit

4. Financial Sustainability Plan


should be prepared as part of the future detailedMaster Plan.

4.3 MethodologyThe process of developing the FSP involves thefollowing steps:l Funding and grant options, such as private

investments, donations, government grantsand revenue generation for Gilgit wereidentified.

l The concepts of capital and operating budgetwere introduced in the context of financialplanning on a town level.

l Using suggested cost parameters andstandards from secondary sources, as theWorld Bank and the UNO, approximatecapital and operational costs for the provisionof water supply, sewerage systemmanagement, solid-waste collection anddisposal, road-infrastructure upgrading andmanagement were estimated.

l Using the projected population andhousehold figures for 2025, for Gilgit,approximate per-household costs of theabove mentioned utilities were estimated.

l Strategies for potential revenue generationagainst the cost of each utility wererecommended.

4.4 FundingIn Gilgit, there are typically three major sources offunding. The major contribution comes fromprovincial and federal government grants. Another portion of the funding comes from theprivate sector. This involves institutions that investin the city for different reasons. These institutionsinclude non-governmental organizations (NGOs)that operate in Gilgit for humanitarian reasons.Currently, a few NGOs, such as the InternationalUnion for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), theWorld Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Aga KhanDevelopment Network (AKDN), funded bydifferent donors, are engaged in capacity-buildingactivities in Gilgit. Another portion of this funding

involves private investors who have interests inGilgit due to the business potential in the city.Mainly, they involve developers who invest in thecity and develop stand-alone housing schemeswith their own infrastructure for the provision ofbasic facilities such as water, power, gas androads.

The third source of the city’s funding is therevenue-generation schemes that local authoritiesintroduce within the limits of their respectivejurisdictions. Such schemes involve propertytaxes, utility taxes, road toll charges, parkingcharges and other miscellaneous fees.

4.4.1 Government GrantsThe redistribution of centrally collected revenuesis often insufficient for the operation of cities inPakistan. Transfers from the national governmentto city maintenance authorities include grants;local share of taxes, which in some cases comefrom provincial authorities; and earmarked fundsfor specific projects. Transfers from the central tothe local level are usually insufficient, and cities inPakistan tend to rely on these transfers to bridgethe gap between their own revenue-generatingcapacity and local expenditures. Ideally, centraltransfers should be made available tomunicipalities in time to allow them to preparetheir budgets. In many developing countries,including Pakistan, this is unfortunately not thecase. Central transfers fluctuate from year to year;this forces cities to make ad hoc revisions to theirbudgets during the fiscal year.

Under the Public Sector Development Programme(PSDP), the Annual Plan Coordination Committee(APCC), in Pakistan, is responsible for organizingan annual meeting wherein the secretaries of theministries and divisions of all the provinces submittheir respective ministry’s proposals for theAnnual Development Budget allocation. The totaldevelopment outlay of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), forevery fiscal year, is divided in two parts: blockallocation for the Gilgit-Baltistan AnnualDevelopment Program (ADP), and the remainingamount is allocated for the on-going projects,


such as the ADP 2013–2014 for water and power.The federal government increased thedevelopment budget (block allocation) by 19.3%in the 2013–2014 budget compared to thedevelopment budget of 2012–2013.217 The ADP2013-14 was formulated within the policyframework of the present government andincluded poverty alleviation, ensured goodgovernance, the generation of employment andimprovements in the quality of social services.Exhibit 4.1 illustrates the procedure behind theformulation of the ADP.

The Annual Plan 2013–2014, for Gilgit,emphasized the agriculture sector andimprovements to indicators of education andhealth through specific interventions for ensuringquality service delivery. In pursuance of the newdevelopment approach, the plan further focusedon software development and information andcommunication technology. Conceiving rapidgrowth, the government placed an emphasis on

urban development, youth affairs, tourismdevelopment and public-private partnershipinitiatives.

4.4.2 CostsThe effective functioning of the city requires asmooth inflow of funds for the maintenance of theservices provided to its dwellers. There are twomajor costs involved in managing a city: capitalcosts and operational costs. Generally, the capitalcosts of a city are much higher than operationalcosts. Different institutional bodies in a city havedifferent functions. The following bodies in Gilgitare responsible for the day-to-day maintenance ofservices:l Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA)–

Responsible for water distribution andmaintenance of the sewerage system in Gilgit

l Gilgit Development Authority (GDA)–Responsible for development operations inGilgit

217. Planning and Development Department Government of GB, Annual Development Plan, June 2013.218. World Bank (2003) Process of Federal Budget in Pakistan.

Exhibit 4.1: Annual Development Programme Procedure 218


219. Hagler Bailly Pakistan, Stakeholder Consultations in Gilgit, 2013.220. NAPWD Gilgit, Sanitary Sewerage System for Municipal Area Gilgit Town Final Feasibility Report, 2006.

l Municipality Committee (MC)– Responsiblefor maintaining the streets of Gilgit, whichinvolves solid-waste collection and disposal

Operating budgetThe operating budget covers spending onservices, such as daily water supply, sewagetreatment, solid-waste collection and disposal,and road maintenance. Examples of these dailyservices include:l Providing drinking water to all citizens

l Disposing of sewage for all citizens

l Ensuring a smooth transportation networkduring all seasons throughout the year

l Collecting recyclables and waste atresidential and commercial properties, parksand civic buildings

l Keeping the city safe by maintaining a policeforce and fire-fighting units

l Providing programmes and services at cityfacilities, such as swimming pools, arenasand cultural centers

Capital budget The capital budget deals with creating andmaintaining the city's infrastructure. Road repair,bridge upgrades and replacement of water mainsare all capital expenditures. The capital budgetalso includes the expansion and creation of newinfrastructure, such as fire stations, transitexchanges, bicycle paths and ball fields. Capitalinvestments are funded from government grantsand also from the revenues collected by the cityauthorities.

4.5 WaterThis section estimates the annual capital andoperational costs for water supply and sewagetreatment in Gilgit. To calculate annual costs, theCMP’s projected 2025 population of Gilgit wasused along with the World Bank’s recommended

per-person water needs. For per-household costs,the CMP’s projected number of households in2025 was used. This section also recommendsfundraising strategies that can be adopted by therelevant authority, WASA, to fund the costs ofwater supply and sewage management in Gilgit.

4.5.1 Water SupplyDuring the stakeholder consultations, watersupply in the city of Gilgit was identified as one ofthe major problems the people of Gilgit face. Thekey problem behind water issues was thetraditional water rights that exist in Gilgit. Peopleof different areas claim their rights on the differentnullahs of Gilgit. This creates problems for theauthorities in terms of fairly distributing water tothe people of the city.

Another major identified problem behind the issueof water rights was the non-willingness to pay inGilgit.219 The people of Gilgit have traditionallydefined water rights and they are not willing topay for the water they have rights on. It is veryimportant that they understand that extractingwater from the nullahs and supplying it to theirhouses involves a cost, and it is critical that theypay for this delivery cost to ensure anuninterrupted supply of water. The team of HaglerBailly Pakistan (HBP), in Gilgit during stakeholderconsultations, learned that the culture of paymentfor water was completely non-existent in the city.Non-availability of funds to the authorities forproviding clean drinking water adds to the issuesof water supply.

The cost of supplying water consists of fixedcosts (capital costs and personnel costs) andvariable costs that depend on the amount ofwater consumed (mainly energy and chemicals).The fixed-cost estimates for Gilgit’s water supply,given in the Gilgit City Sewerage Plan, publishedin 2006, is 1,065 million rupees.220

The calculations for the presented operationalcosts are from global standards used by theWorld Bank and the UNO. These were carried out


221. The World Bank, Water Electricity and the Poor– Who benefits from subsidies?, 2011.222. Environmental Protection Agency Gilgit Baltistan, Water and wastewater quality survey in seven urban centers of Gilgit Baltistan, 2013.223. Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSCC), Water Hygiene, 2013.224. UNESCO, World Water Assessment Program: World Water Development Report (2013).226. The World Bank, Water Electricity and the Poor– Who benefits from subsidies?, 2011.227. Ibid.

to estimate the expected expenses to facilitatethe basic operations of water supply andsewerage maintenance of a city. The operationalcost of supplying water and treating sewage inurban areas in developed countries is about US$1to 2 per cubic meter, depending on local costsand local water consumption levels.221 Thesecosts are lower in developing countries.Throughout the world, only part of these costs isbilled to consumers, the remainder being financedthrough direct or indirect subsidies from local,regional or national governments.

Provision of clean drinking water is very importantin Gilgit, considering the high concentration ofe coli and other harmful substances in the nullahwaters of Gilgit. Currently, only the Danyor Nullahhas a lower concentration of e coli.222 Globally,diarrhea is the leading cause of illness and death,and 88% of diarrheal deaths are due to a lack ofaccess to sanitation facilities, together with aninadequate availability of water for hygiene andunsafe drinking water. The provision of improvedsanitation and safe drinking water could reducediarrheal diseases by nearly 90%. In Sub-SaharanAfrica, treating diarrhea consumes 12% of thehealth budget.223

The UN suggests that each person needs 20 to50 liters of water a day to ensure their basicneeds for drinking, cooking and cleaning.224 In theyear 2025, the population of Gilgit is expected tobe 330,724, as projected in the CMP (Section3.5). This results in a water demand ofapproximately 9,921,720 liters per day and a costof 9,921 dollars per day, using a cost-of-supplyestimate of $1 per cubic meter.225 Thiscorresponds to an annual cost of approximatelyPKR 394,732,630 (39 million rupees) for theprovision of domestic water only. This cost doesnot account for water needs for irrigationpurposes, which add significantly to the waterdemands of a city.

4.5.2 Sewage On average, a city generates 50 liters of sewageper person per day.226 As approximately 70% ofsewage is lost and does not make it to thetreatment plant, approximately 15 liters of sewageper person per day has to be treated in thetreatment plant. Using Gilgit’s projectedpopulation of 330,724, by 2025, the daily sewagegenerated is expected to be 4,960,860 liters. Thiscorresponds to an annual sewage-treatment costof approximately PKR 197,367,815 (19.7 millionrupees). This results in a total annual cost of watersupply and sewage management of 58.7 millionrupees. These figures give an idea of the costs ofmaintaining Gilgit’s sustainable water supply andthe treatment of sewage generated.

4.5.3 RecommendationsThe significant costs of the water supply to thecity of Gilgit need to be balanced by a robustfinancial recovery plan for the sustainability of thecity. Approximately 40,864 households areexpected by 2025 in Gilgit, as projected in theCMP (Section 3.5.3). If the annual operationalcosts of water supply and sewage treatment (58.7million rupees) are considered, this leads to anannual contribution of 1436 rupees perhousehold. In addition to this, the capital cost of1065 million rupees accounts for a further perhousehold contribution of 26,062 rupees. Thisfigure is just an estimate and the detailed MasterPlan must incorporate primary data collection anda detailed analysis for planning the finances ofGilgit. A comprehensive study of the financialplanning of Gilgit will predict the costs of watersupply and sewage management with precisionand accuracy.

Further measures will have to be planned for thelong-term sustainability of the water-supplysystem of Gilgit. These measures can involve themetering of water to ensure fair pricing andcommercial users, such as hotels, charged at high

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premium rates. Initially, fixed water charges canbe introduced, but the long-term goal, after 5 to10 years, should be water metering, which willensure fairness to the users. The waterinfrastructure should be planned for meteringpurposes so that a switch from fixed charges touse-based charges can be smooth. People withwater rights should not be allowed to use waterfor free. As the delivery of water from the river andnullahs requires high capital and operating costs,these costs should be recovered from the peopleand they should be charged for the delivery ofwater to their houses. As for hotel owners, as thepeople using the water in hotels are not fromGilgit, they do not have any right on the localwater according to traditional laws. Therefore, thehotels should be charged a premium for the useand delivery of water.

4.6 Solid-Waste ManagementThe Municipal Committee (MC) of Gilgit isresponsible for overall solid-waste management.This includes the selection and adoption ofappropriate technical and local solutions forwaste collection, transfer, recycling and disposal.It is evident that the operation of an efficient solid-waste management system requiresorganizational capacity and the ability to achievecooperation among all interested parties,including communities, private enterprises andmunicipal authorities.

The solid-waste assessment study, carried out in2012, reveals that 73 metric tons of solid waste isgenerated per day from domestic interventions,which include 76% organic and 24% inorganicwaste.227 Domestic solid waste is a major human-induced hazard.

For all municipal solid waste emanating frombusiness establishments, such as stores,markets, office buildings, restaurants, shopping

centers, and entertainment centers, commercialsolid waste can be divided into ordinary andspecial solid waste. In commercial waste,contents are similar in all cities and containaround 69% inorganic and 31% organic waste.228

Special waste includes cement kiln dust, miningwaste, oil and gas drilling mud and oil productionbrines, phosphate-rock-mining beneficiation andprocessing waste, uranium waste, and utilitywaste (i.e., fossil-fuel combustion waste).229 Thiswaste mostly comprises commercial andindustrial waste. This waste can further becategorized as waste generated from workshops,hospitals and medical facilities, slaughter waste,animal dung, dead animals, construction anddemolition, chemical processing factories, andmechanical and electrical products. The majorpart of the special waste generated is treated ashazardous waste and needs special attention inregards to generation, collection and treatment.

Industrial waste comprises around 1.7% of thetotal special waste generated.230 Seventy percentof the industrial waste generated is used forburning purposes. This is a very common trend ofthe area where people even burn toxic andhazardous waste. The main reason behindburning this waste is to counter the cold in winter,which is always below freezing.

Gilgit generates approximately 163 metric tons ofdomestic and commercial waste. Around 35 to40% of the total generated waste is handled bythe municipal corporation.231 This solid waste istransferred manually into tractor trolleys anddumper trucks and is ultimately disposed of in theform of open dumping at Chilmas Das, amunicipal committee designated site. Street sweeping and solid-waste collectionaccount for the top two expenditure items interms of solid-waste management. This includesthe salaries of the staff, fuel for vehicles, repair


227. Shehzad Shigri, 2012, Report on Solid Waste Quantities and Characteristics in Seven Urban Centers of Gilgit Baltistan, EnvironmentalProtection Agency–GB, Gilgit.

228. Ibid.229. World Bank," What a waste – Solid waste management in Asia" Urban and Local Government Working Papers, The International Bank for

Reconstruction and Development. THE WORLD BANK, 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A, 1999.230. Shehzad Shigri, 2012, Report on Solid Waste Quantities and Characteristics in Seven Urban Centers of Gilgit Baltistan, Environmental

Protection Agency–GB, Gilgit.231. Ibid.

and maintenance, and the purchase of newequipment and vehicles. According to the GilgitMunicipal committee, the total annual expensesincurred on solid-waste management in the cityare PKR 29,640,000 for the 73 tonnes of wastegenerated each day.232

4.6.1 RecommendationsSection 3.6.6 of the CMP contains population andwaste-production projections for the year 2025.According to these projections, it is expectedthat, in Gilgit by 2025, approximately 132tonnes/day of solid waste will be generated.Based on the present annual cost of PKR296,640,000 for 73 tonnes of waste generated perday233, for the projected 132 tonnes of waste perday, an annual cost of PKR 536,389,920 (53.6million rupees) is expected. These figures are forillustration purposes only and the ComprehensiveMaster Plan must involve relevant primary datacollection and accurate calculations of thesenumbers. Section 3.6.6 recommends at least twocompactor trucks be bought for Gilgit. An onlineglobal trading website recommends the cost of acompactor truck is approximately USD 5000,equivalent to a total of approximately one millionrupees for two trucks.

The total cost of solid-waste management isexpected to be 54.6 million rupees. It isrecommended that the Federal Government ofPakistan or the Provincial Government of Gilgit-Baltistan should fund these costs through theannual development budget. The funds collectedas income tax and sales tax by the governmentshould be spent on managing the daily solid-waste collection and management for Gilgit. TheMC can work with the GDA and take a share fromthe property-tax collections across the city.Currently, a mechanism of property tax does notexist in the city, which is generally a major sourceof revenue generation of city developmentauthorities across Pakistan, such as the Capital

Development Authority (CDA) and the KarachiDevelopment Authority (KDA). The future detailedMaster Plan must involve strategies for revenuegeneration and policy recommendations to fundthe costs of solid-waste collection and disposal.

4.7 Development of housing schemes androadsPresently in Gilgit, unplanned and uncontrolledconstruction has been in practice since 1947.Though there is no clear distinction betweenresidential and commercial areas, the size ofresidential plots is from 10 marlas to 2 kanals,albeit a small fraction of the population hasconstructed households on 3 to 5 kanals.234 Thisunplanned construction in urban areas has led toa haphazard growth and expansion that resultedin irregular shapes of plots, narrow streets and alack of infrastructure facilities to accommodatethe needs of the growing population. The streetsare narrow and are only used by pedestrians. Andin some areas it is quite difficult to address thebasic public infrastructure needs of the urbanpopulation, such as sewerage, drainage, theprovision of electricity and easy access to rescueservices in case of emergencies. The residentialdwellings have a lesser degree of plot coverage.In Gilgit, 51% of the dwellings have covered anarea of up to 25% of their plots and as many as84% of the dwellings have a site coverage of upto 50%.235

Gilgit has metal and un–metal roads ofapproximately 70 kilometers, consisting of radialroads, distributary links and access roads.236

Encroachment on the right-of-way is common,especially in the central business areas. Thehaphazard on-street parking by various modes oftransport is also very common. The loading andunloading activities both by heavy and lighttransport can be easily seen. The number ofvehicles plying the roads is increasing with thepassage of time, while the roads’ widths remainsame and the effective carriageway widths on


232. Ibid.233. Ibid.234. Haider Raza, 2003, NASSD Background Paper: Urban Environment, IUCN Pakistan, Northern Areas Program, Gilgit. x+38 pp.235. Ibid.236. Ibid.

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certain road sections are unable to meet thepresent-day requirements.

The road and intersection geometry is poor. On-street parking and roadside encroachments arecommon and these have largely reduced theroads’ capacities. Motor workshops, transportterminals and other compatible uses are spreadall over Gilgit and are generating/attracting a greatnumber of trips within the busy areas, creatingcongestion, noise and other environmentalpollution. A lack of planned and properlyorganized public transport systems in the town,i.e. movement of buses and wagons on thenarrow street networks, is creating frequentbottlenecks and thus hindering the flow of traffic.In addition, there is a lack of traffic controldevices, such as traffic signals, traffic signs, androad markings, and their absence is a constrainton maintaining the smooth flow of traffic.Recently, government, with the assistance of thearmy, has completed operations againstencroachments and has widened the roads. Butin most cases, road alignments that increased therisk to users was not taken into account.

4.7.1 RecommendationsAccording to the CMP (Section 3.5.3), the numberof Gilgit households projected for 2025 is about31,000, requiring roughly 98 hectares of land forexpansion. The nature of housing development toaccommodate the increased number ofhouseholds will be multi-level mid-rise buildings,with all other amenities within easy access.

As mentioned earlier, Gilgit has approximately 70kilometers of roads, spread like a web all over thecity. The World Bank estimates an average cost of31,000 USD per km for the rehabilitation of aroad.237 Using this number, the total cost ofrepairing all of Gilgit’s roads is equivalent toapproximately PKR 236,530,000. These figureshave a high amount of uncertainty associatedwith them due to the unavailability of any primarydata. The detailed Master Plan must contain adetailed collection of primary data and the

calculation of the development costs must beaccurate. The detailed financial sustainability planshould involve an analysis of the different fundingoptions and predict strategies for the wayforward. The road repair and maintenance work isexpected to be funded by the government. But,the maintenance of these roads should be theresponsibility of the GDA. To fund themaintenance of road networks, the GDA canintroduce revenue-generation schemes, such asparking charges, toll taxes on bridges andcongestion charges for access to the inner city, asrecommended in the CMP Section 3.10.

For the estimated 98 hectares of housing-areadevelopment, private-housing schemes should beencouraged in the city. Such schemes should beclosely monitored by the GDA for compliance withGilgit’s regulations. Schemes such as the DefenseHousing Authority, Bahria Town and the SaimaHousing Scheme have proven successful all overPakistan. In such schemes, the investors areresponsible for the development of the housingschemes, for selling the houses, for constructingadequate infrastructure, and for providing basicfacilities like gas, electricity and water.Development of large housing schemes and theprovision of utilities will be expensive for the GDA.These types of developments are prone tomismanagement and are expected to eventuallyfail. Private investment in housing schemes willensure their efficient construction and operation.

For monitoring private investors in Gilgit, the GDAshould enforce the following:l Impose taxes on late construction of houses

after the final approval of housing schemes.For example, a penalty should be such that10,000 per marla value of the constructionproject per year be charged in the event of amissed construction deadline.

l Ensure the timely provision of infrastructureservices, especially in private-housingschemes, to encourage plot owners to buildtheir houses as early as possible.


237. Rodrigo Archondo–Callao, 2000, Roads Works Costs per Km, The World Bank, http://www.worldbank.org/transport/roads/c&m_docs/kmcosts.pdf

l It is recommended to have strict control onthe prices of building material. Further, thegovernment may provide subsidized buildingmaterial to ensure timely completion ofhouses.

l There should be a pre-defined building periodfor the construction of houses. Hence, strictenforcement of this building period isrequired after a person receives an allotmentletter and possession of land.

l Plot speculation may be discouraged so as tohave proper control on plot ownership byproperty owners. There may be restrictionson the purchase of more than one plot withina housing scheme.



This section presents a proposed framework for the roles and responsibilitiesof the institutions in Gilgit tasked with the development of the city. Thegovernment organizations in Gilgit addressed in this section include the GilgitDevelopment Authority (GDA); the Gilgit Municipal Corporation (MC); the Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection Agency (GBEPA); and the Forest, Wildlifeand Environment Department. (Please see Appendix D for Institutional andStakeholder Mapping). The framework provides general guidelines to enablethese institutions to effectively implement the recommendations of the CMPproposed in Section 3. The guidelines address the recommendations of theCMP related to the following:l Water rights, distribution and qualityl Land-use zoning and developmentl Buildings and infrastructure developmentl Roads, public streets and traffic managementl Encroachment controll Drainage networkl Solid-waste management andl Protection of forests and protected areas (PAs)

5.1 ObjectivesThe objectives behind developing the institutional framework are as follows:l To identify the existing system of legal instruments in Gilgit that define the

roles and responsibilities of institutions dealing with issues related to thedevelopment of the city.

l To identify the relevant institutions in Gilgit that can play a vital role in theeffective implementation of the recommendations of the CMP.

l To identify potential hurdles the relevant institutions may face in effectivelyimplementing the recommendations.

l To provide general guidelines for enhancing these institutions’ roles andresponsibilities, where required, to enable them to effectively implementthe recommendations of the CMP and formulate comprehensive futurebylaws for the relevant Gilgit institutions.

5. Institutional Framework forImplementing the CMP


5.2 ScopeThe scope of the institutional framework is limitedto the government institutions operating in Gilgitand does not extend to the NGOs. Thesegovernment institutions include the following:l The Gilgit Development Authority (GDA);

l The Gilgit Municipal Committee (MC);

l The Forest, Wildlife and EnvironmentDepartment; and

l The Gilgit-Baltistan Environment ProtectionAgency (GBEPA)

The issues identified in the CMP in Section 3.9form the scope of the issues discussed in thissection and include water rights and distribution,land-use zoning and development, building andconstruction works, road and traffic issues,encroachment on riverbanks and roadsides,municipal and industrial drainage, solid-wastemanagement, deforestation and protected areas(PAs).

Recommendations or guidelines for concernedinstitutions are provided for each issue. Due tothe scope of this pilot SEA, the framework isrestricted to providing basic guidelines for futurebylaws (rather than the bylaws themselves) for therelevant institutions to deal with the identifiedissues.

Existing laws used as the basis for theinstitutional framework include the following:l Northern Areas Local Government Order

1979

l Gilgit-Baltistan Development of Cities Act2012

l The Land Acquisition Act 1894

l Canal and Drainage Act 1873

l The Forest Act 1927

l Northern Areas Wildlife Preservation Act 1975

l Customary Laws in the Northern Areas

This section will not accommodate theintroduction of any new legal instruments or legalamendments, introduced after 2012, in the lawslisted above.

5.3 MethodologyIdeally, the process of formulating the institutionalframework should have been based on a gapanalysis between the existing roles andresponsibilities of the relevant institutions in Gilgitand those required for the effectiveimplementation of the recommendations of theCMP. However, the methodology was revisedsince the GDA is currently engaged in the processof formulating bylaws, and information wasunavailable on the Gilgit Municipal Committee(MC) bylaws and its hierarchy.

The following steps were involved in the revisedmethodology:l Based on the recommendations of the CMP,

fields of concern were identified. They includewater, land use, infrastructure, roads,drainage, waste, encroachment anddeforestation.238

l Existing general laws, including acts, orders,rules and regulations passed by theGovernment of Pakistan (GoP) and theGovernment of Gilgit-Baltistan (GoGB),applicable in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), in thecontext of the identified fields of concern,were extracted.239 240 241 A list of these laws ismentioned in Section 1.2. They define theresponsibility of the GDA, the Gilgit MC, theGBEPA and the Forest Wildlife andEnvironment Department mentioned in thissection.

238. A ‘field of concern’ is an area of socio–economic or environmental concern as identified by the CMP. For instance one of the fields of concern mentioned in thissection is ‘water rights and quality.’

239. Abdul Basit, 2011, Muhammad. The Gilgit – Baltistan Laws. Lahore: Federal Law House.240. Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas. "Gilgit–Baltistan (Empowerment and Self–Governance) Order, 2009."

http://www.gilgitbaltistan.gov.pk/. September 9, 2009. http://www.gilgitbaltistan.gov.pk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65&Itemid=110 (accessedJanuary 29, 2014).

241. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP in September 2013 and December 2013. This was to take the key stakeholders in Gilgit City on boardwith the SEA of Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholders involved government officials, secretaries, ministersand representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.

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l The following information was collected foreach field of concern:- Legal empowerment of the institution: Thisdefined the legal instruments that empowera specific institution to take a givenresponsibility in their fields of concern.

- Responsible institution: This identified theexisting institution responsible for the giventask and the recommended institution if, forany reason, the current institution is unableto execute its specified responsibility.242

- Concerns: These highlighted differentissues for each field of concern.

l Recommendations for the institutions basedon legislative guidelines identified in the CMPSection 3.9 were proposed. Theserecommendations provided for the capacitybuilding of responsible institutions, theimplementation of existing laws, guidelinesfor the enactment of new laws and specificsuggestions for the relevant institutions toovercome the identified issues in each field ofconcern.

5.4 The FrameworkThe CMP identifies that, presently, Gilgit facesissues of water management, land-use zoning,infrastructure development, encroachmentcontrol, waste management, drainage networkand deforestation. With the future populationgrowth of the city, these issues are likely toaggravate if necessary measures by the relevantinstitutions are not taken to address them. TheGDA and the MC play a focal role in thedevelopment of the city, and their responsibilitiesin addressing the aforementioned issues shouldbe clearly defined so as to achieve effectiveimplementation of the CMP recommendations.

5.4.1 Water Rights and QualityGilgit’s sources of water supply include springs,dug wells, nullahs and river water.243 Jutial Nullah,Danyor Nullah and Kargah Nullah are the threemain sources of water currently used by the city.Glacial melt is the primary source of water supplyto the nullahs. The flow in these nullahs isdependent on the annual snowfall and thetemperature of the area. Besides piped waterfrom five drinking-water supply complexes,individuals and communities have installed watermotors and lifts along the banks of both theHunza and Gilgit Rivers to fulfill their waterrequirements.244 Water bowsers are also used forwater delivery in some areas. Residents ofZulfiqarabad, Sonikot and a few colonies in Jutialuse these water bowsers.

Responsible InstitutionThe Canal and Drainage Act 1873 is applicable inGB. The law entitles the GB government to useand control water from all rivers and streamsflowing in natural channels and from all lakes andother natural bodies of still water. The governmentmay prohibit obstructions and order their removalif they appear to be causing injury to land, publichealth or public convenience.

According to the Northern Areas LocalGovernment Order 1979, Schedule V, Section B,Article 8, Clause 1, the MC should provide watersufficient for public and private purposes. Underthis order, installation of any well, pump or otherwater source is subject to obtaining permissionfrom the MC. Water-quality control is also given tothe MC under the same order.245

On the other hand, customary laws define theright of an individual to the water from nullahs.Old settlements, which have paid Malia246 beforethe 1970’s, have a full right over the water,whereas the new settlements may take the


242. Initially, only the existing responsible institution was included in the discussion. However, collection of sufficient information regarding theresponsible institutions for each field of concern revealed that, in some cases, the responsibility was either given to an irrelevant institution orwas given to two institutions at a time. For example, responsibility of water supply was given to the GDA, encroachment control, to the MC,and roads were the responsibility of the Works Department. Consequently, the methodology was upgraded to define the proposed institutionresponsible for that field of concern.

243. Raza, Haider. 2003, Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development. Background Paper, Gilgit: IUCN Pakistan Northern AreasProgramme, x+38 pp.

244. Ibid.245. Abdul Basit, 2011, Muhammad. The Gilgit – Baltistan Laws. Lahore: Federal Law House.246. A tax charged by the native ruler before the 1970’s either on the amount of water granted or the amount of land one owned.

excess water only with the consent of theresidents of the old settlements.247 Water stewardsare appointed by the Numberdar248 and theJirga249, which ensure the fair distribution of waterset by the Jirga.250

The Gilgit-Baltistan Development of Cities Act,2012 designates the responsibility of water supplyto the GDA, but the current capacity and structureof the GDA seems inadequate to execute thisresponsibility.251According to natives of Gilgit, theWater and Sanitation Authority (WASA) provideswater to the city. However, no information wasfound regarding any legal instrument empoweringthis particular organization to do the same.Therefore, the MC, which is empowered by theNorthern Areas Local Government Order 1979,was identified as the responsible authority for theprovision of water to the city.

ConcernsWater ScarcityThe residents of the old settlements are reluctantto share water with new settlements. Forinstance, Zulfiqarabad colony, a relatively newsettlement in the city, faces a serious watershortage especially in water-scarce seasons. Thewater-storage and distribution capacity of thecurrent water-supply complexes is inadequate inmeeting the city’s existing water demand. Asurvey conducted by the IUCN indicates that thepresent storage capacity of all water-supplycomplexes is around 15 times less than the actualdemand.252

Water QualityPoor water quality is another major problem in thecity. In a survey conducted by the Water andSanitation Extension Program (WASEP), in 1999,all five water complexes in Gilgit were found to be

highly contaminated with fecal matter. Water inthe channels was also found to be contaminatedby activities such as washing clothes andutensils.253 The dumping of municipal waste intonullahs and rivers by residents living upstreamdeteriorates the water quality.254 All thewastewater is currently either being disposed inthe river or in soakage pits, which both lead to thecontamination of ground water and river water.

RecommendationsRecommendations concerning the definition ofcustomary water rights, water scarcity, quality anduser charges for the municipal water supplysystem are proposed as follows:Defining New Rights for Water Use l Water usage in the city can be categorized

into three main types: commercial, industrialand residential. The customary rights of watershould be limited to domestic use and topublic institutions, such as schools, hospitals,government buildings, and for agriculturalpurposes. Commercial and industrial sectorsshould not be given these rights.

Fixing Limits on Customary Water Rightsl With the consent of the old settlements, the

MC should set a fixed quantity of water thatcommunities with customary water rights canuse. If such communities require a quantity ofwater greater than the one specified to themunder their customary rights, they shouldtake the fixed amount and pay for anyamount they use in excess of it.

l All the residents claiming customary waterrights should be registered. After validation oftheir claims, a database of these residentsshould be developed and maintained by theMC. This will help preclude false claims ofcustomary rights in future.


247. Bilal, Asad, Dr. 2003, Huma Haque, and Patricia Moore. Customary Laws Governing Natural Resource Management in the Northern Areas. IUCNLaw Programme, xiii+67 pp.

248. The ‘Numberdar’ (also known as ‘Lumbardar’ or ‘Tarangpa’) is a local term used to designate the village headman in different parts of GB.249. A ‘jirga’ is a body of notable persons in a village or area specially constituted to resolve a specific conflict. A jirga might be composed of the

Numberdar and representatives from both parties in a dispute, with some village notables as middlemen.250. Bilal, Asad, Dr. Huma Haque, and Patricia Moore. 2003, Customary Laws Governing Natural Resource Management in the Northern Areas. IUCN

Law Programme, xiii+67 pp.251. According to comments received from the GBEPA on 7th May 2014, at present, the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department is looking after the

supply of drinking water in the city. The MC is responsible for solid waste management in the Gilgit, however, there is no agency looking aftersewerage management at present. And, the supply and management of electricity falls under the ambit of the water and power department.

252. Raza, Haider. 2003, Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development. Background Paper, Gilgit: IUCN Pakistan Northern Areas Programme, x+38 pp.253. Ibid.254. Ibid.

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River Supply Controll Ultimate control of river water should rest

with the MC. Any person willing to extractwater from the river should seek permissionfrom the MC and pay a fee for the volume ofwater extracted. This should be applicable tothe installation of motors and pumps for thewater extraction as well as to the water takenby supply tankers. Customary water rightsshould not be exploited to extract water fromthe Hunza and Gilgit Rivers.

Division of River and Nullah Water Supplyl Dealing effectively with water scarcity

requires that local water resources areharnessed, conserved and used in anoptimum manner. The MC should use theGilgit and Hunza Rivers to fill the waterpaucity faced by the city. An efficient way ofdoing this would be to give the water fromthe nullahs to the people residing in thehigher elevations and to compensate thelower areas with river water. The Gilgit Riverhas a greater flow and a lesser turbidity thanthe Hunza River, making it more suitable forextracting water.

l Expansion Works of Water SupplyInfrastructure

l The MC should enhance the storage capacityof the current water-supply complexes ornew complexes should be constructed toensure maximum storage.

l The efficiency of the current distributionsystem should be increased by propermaintenance to avoid leakage and waste. TheMC should construct new distributionsystems where necessary.

Equitable Distributionl The MC should ensure unbiased distribution

of drinking water. The lack of transparency indistribution is resulting in massive distrustamong the different communities that sharethe same water.255

l To avoid any uncertainty regarding theavailability of water, the MC should provideusers with water time tables. Distributionshould be strictly based on the waterrequirements of specific areas, regardless ofrace, language or religion.

Improving Water Quality Control and Supply ofSafe Drinking Water l Water-treatment plants should be installed to

ensure the provision of safe drinking water tothe entire city.

l To ensure the provision of safe drinking water,the MC should implement and follow theNational Standards for Drinking Water Quality(NSDWQ) in the city.

l Frequent quality checks on drinking-watersources should be organized to ensure publichealth safety.

l A law should be passed by the GBLA or theexisting laws should be implemented inupstream areas to ensure protection of boththe Hunza and Gilgit Rivers from pollution.

l The use of drinking water for irrigation andother purposes should be prohibited.

l Licenses should be issued to private water-supply authorities, only after quality checks.

Introducing a Water Tariffl The MC should provide safe drinking water to

the citizens and should charge for the supplyin order to recover costs. The MC shouldapply charges in a way that protects thecustomary rights of people. This can be donein several ways, including exempting nativeswith rights from the basic water charge (acharge for the maintenance of pipes onlyshould be collected), providing a specifiedvolume of water without any charge (chargeto be applied if the person uses more thanthe specified exempted volume of water).


255. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP in September 2013 and December 2013. This was to take the key stakeholders inGilgit City on board with the SEA of Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholders involvedgovernment officials, secretaries, ministers and representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.

5.4.2 Land-Use Zoning and DevelopmentMost of the land in Gilgit is privately owned.256 TheGilgit Master Plan of 1977 divides the city intoseven zones as follows:257

l Town Nucleus (intersection of Shaheed-e-Millat Road and Raja Bazaar Road)

l Transition Zonel Konudas Plateaul Gujardasl Danyor Plain (mostly agricultural land)l Jutiall Basin

Based on the GIS Maps of the city, provided bythe GDA, there is presently 37% agricultural land,16% residential land, 3% commercial land and17% vacant land in Gilgit. Average residential plotsizes vary from 10 marlas (250 m2) to two kanals(1,010 m2).258

Only two percent of the total agricultural land inGilgit is arable. In recent years, the proportion ofagricultural land has been decreasing due toencroachment by the commercial and privatesectors.259 The trend of the local population isshifting from agricultural activities towardscommercial businesses as a means of livelihood.260

Responsible InstitutionUnder the Gilgit-Baltistan Development of CitiesAct 2012, economical and effective utilization ofland and to evolve policies and programs relatingto the improvement of the housing environment isthe responsibility of the GDA.

The Land Acquisition Act 1894 is applicable inGB. Under this law, public land may be acquiredby the State for a public purpose, meaning herebyfor the use of the public or people at large or for acompany. The Act also enables the following:l The acquisition of land needed for public

purposes and for companies and;

l Determination of the amount ofcompensation to be paid on account of suchacquisition.

The Gilgit-Baltistan Development of Cities Act2012, therefore, extends power to the GDA toacquire land under The Land Acquisition Act 1894and to develop zones in Gilgit, according to theMaster Plan.

In other cities of Pakistan, such as Islamabad,Lahore and Karachi, land-use zoning and plotbifurcation responsibilities have been assigned tothe respective development authorities. Therefore,the GDA seems to be the most capable and well-suited institution (in terms of legal authority) toaddress this issue.

ConcernsZoningTo avoid uncontrolled expansion and maintainGilgit’s identity, there is a need for the properdemarcation of city boundaries and the zoning ofexisting land use. Land-use zoning can help inpreserving property values that might decline ifsomeone initiates an undesirable business in themiddle of a residential neighborhood. Also,comprehensive, forward-thinking zoning enablesa city to grow sustainably in the future.

Islamabad offers a good example of well-plannedzoning. The federal capital was conceived as anadministrative city and a cultural center andplanned as a dynapolis or a dynamic city. Itsamenities run in the direction of its expansion andits planning provides for dynamic and paralleldevelopment of several functions. All the variouselements of the city are knitted together in a waythat any change will deform its structure.261


256. Pakistan Urban Observatory. 2011 "City Profile – Gilgit." urban.unhabitat.org.. http://urban.unhabitat.org.pk/Region/GilgitBaltistan/Gilgit.aspx(accessed January 24, 2014).

257. Pakistan Environmental Planning and Architectural Consultants Limited Gilgit Master Plan, 1977.258. Pakistan Urban Observatory. 2011."City Profile – Gilgit." urban.unhabitat.org. http://urban.unhabitat.org.pk/Region/GilgitBaltistan/Gilgit.aspx

(accessed January 24, 2014).259. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP in September 2013 and December 2013. This was to take the key stakeholders in

Gilgit City on board with the SEA of Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholders involvedgovernment officials, secretaries, ministers and representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.

260. Ibid.261. Qasim, Muhammad. "Islamabad master plan: Know Thy City – I." The Express Tribune, January 13, 2014: 1.

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Preservation of Agricultural LandIn recent years, the proportion of agricultural landhas been decreasing due to encroachment bycommercial and private sectors.262 Residents areconverting agricultural land into commercial areasand plots on rent. In Gilgit, agriculture accountsfor 23% of total livelihood provision. Theconservation of agricultural land and greenfieldsites are of prime importance as they are a sourceof sustainable livelihood for the city.

As an example, in Islamabad, agro-farming,conservation and recreation projects are allowedin subzones C and D of Zone IV. These subzonescomprise 60% or 45,000 acres of the total area ofZone IV, which spans 70,000 acres. Commercialactivity astride defined major roads is permissibleonly at selected locations. This was to support theoriginal plan to keep the area predominantlygreen.263

RecommendationsKeeping in mind the existing issues regarding landuse, recommendations are being provided for plotsize, plot coverage, brownfield sites anddevelopment of the city center.

Defining Plot Size and Coveragel The land use in Gilgit can be classified into

agricultural, residential, commercial andindustrial areas. It is recommended that theGDA should define separate zones for eachof these areas and delineate plot sizes in thezones.

l Commercial plots should be allowedcoverage of 75% of the plot size marked bythe GDA, the remaining 25% should bedemarcated for parking area, garage or lawn.

l Residential plots with agricultural areasshould be allowed 25% to 30% coveragedepending on the plot size. This will helppreserve agricultural land in the city in thelonger run.

Regulating Bifurcation of Plotsl Plot sizes should be defined by GDA bylaws

and plot coverage on each plot should bebased on this definition of plots. This impliesthat any future plot bifurcation should notredefine plot coverage.

l Minimum plot size should be set by the GDAand bifurcation of a plot below this sizeshould be prohibited.

Strategy for Brownfield Site Land Usel As mentioned in the CMP Section 3.8, fertile

land and grazing areas with some waterrights should not be used for housingcolonies. Instead, barren land and built-upresidential areas should be used forestablishing housing colonies.

l Land prone to natural hazards, such asfloods or landslides, should be avoided forany construction or agricultural activity.

l Urban infill on barren land close to or in theperiphery of Gilgit is recommended.

Developing the City Center as a Commercial Zonel The city center may be marked as a

commercial zone with no residential orindustrial dwellings. Bylaws for thedevelopment of this zone should keenly focuson the promotion of tourism and recreation inthe city.

5.4.3 BuildingsThe total number of residential buildings in thecity, based on an average household size of eightpersons, is approximately 11,546.264 Commercialbuildings include hotels, restaurants, plazas, retailstores, slaughter-houses, vehicle workshops andother privately owned businesses.

Responsible InstitutionUnder the Local Government Order 1979Schedule V, Section I, Article 26, building



263. Qasim, Muhammad. January 13, 2014 "Islamabad master plan: Know Thy City – I." The Express Tribune,: 1.264. Pakistan Urban Observatory 2011. "City Profile – Gilgit." urban.unhabitat.org. http://urban.unhabitat.org.pk/Region/GilgitBaltistan/Gilgit.aspx

(accessed January 24, 2014).

construction can commence by the permission ofthe MC, after the relevant fees levied by the MCare paid and after the building plan is approved.The MC can also declare any work, addition oralteration exempt from this section of thebylaws.265

Under the Gilgit-Baltistan Development of CitiesAct 2012, the GDA is responsible for theestablishment, maintenance and periodic revisionof planning controls and building regulations forthe area (Gilgit).

Prior to the formation of the GDA, in 2012, theresponsibility of applying building laws andregulations in Gilgit was designated to the GilgitMC. However, based on the Gilgit-BaltistanDevelopment of Cities Act 2012 and the patternfollowed by the Capital Development Authority(CDA) and the Lahore Development Authority(LDA), building regulation and planning controlresponsibilities should be delegated to the GDA.266

ConcernsBuilding Design and Construction MaterialIn Gilgit, 60% of the houses are semi-pukka267,35% are pukka, while the remaining 5% arekuchha. Residences are usually constructed usingearth, wood and soil stones. The houses are builtusing poor construction standards, making themprone to natural hazards. Cement and bricks arenow being used in new developments around thecity.268

Building SpecificationsThree percent of the population of Gilgit lives intwo-storey buildings. Presently, building269

construction specifications are not defined by theGDA or the MC. The specifications are importantbecause, in the absence of these, constructorsmay establish any type and size of buildingwithout being held accountable. In Gilgit, visualobstructions are a sensitive issue due to the valley

topography of the city. This further strengthensthe need for building specification codes toregulate construction in the city.

RecommendationsInstitutional recommendations for the GDA’sbylaws concerning building specifications, thepreservation and promotion of traditionalinfrastructure and disaster resilience ofconstructed structures are as follows:Bylaws needed for Defining BuildingSpecificationsl GDA bylaws are needed for the floor-area

ratios (FAR). Ground coverage, sizes, heights,number of storeys, stair towers, type anddevelopment of buildings, distance betweenadjacent plots, parking area, lawns and otherrelevant factors.

l Building plans for residential and commercialbuildings should be defined by the GDA andmade available to the people.

CDA Building Bylaws as an Example for the GDAl The GDA could use the Capital Development

Authority (CDA) building bylaws as a guidefor defining building specifications for Gilgit.

l However, while formulating these bylaws,care should be taken to address factors suchas air pollution (by adjusting chimney-stackheight), visual impact of buildings (byadjusting building heights) and the nature ofconstruction material used.

Preservation and Promotion of Cultural Heritagethrough City Infrastructurel In order to preserve the cultural heritage of

the city, it is essential that local architecturebe incentivized by the institutional bodyconcerned with the application of buildingbylaws.


265. Abdul Basit, Muhammad. 2011, The Gilgit – Baltistan Laws. Lahore: Federal Law House.266. In Islamabad, the CDA formulates and implements bylaws regarding land-use zoning and building regulations. In Lahore, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) performs

these services for Lahore.267. There are three general classes of housing in Pakistan: pukka houses, built of substantial materials such as stone, brick, cement, concrete, or timber; katchi or kuchha

[“ramshackle”] houses, constructed of less-durable material (e.g., mud, bamboo, reeds, or thatch); and semi-pukka houses, which are a mix of the two."Housing." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/438805/Pakistan/276147/Housing>.

268. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP in September 2013 and December 2013. This was to take the key stakeholders in Gilgit City on board with the SEAof Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholders involved government officials, secretaries, ministers and representatives of NGOsactive in Gilgit City.

269. Pakistan Urban Observatory. "City Profile – Gilgit." urban.unhabitat.org. 2011. http://urban.unhabitat.org.pk/Region/GilgitBaltistan/Gilgit.aspx (accessed January 24, 2014).

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l Material available in the construction areaand/or its vicinity should be used forconstruction purposes.

l Construction of infrastructures and buildingson cultural patterns should be encouragedthrough the provision of incentives tocontractors.

Buildings to be Disaster Resilientl In accordance with the provisions of the GoP

(extended to the GoGB) regarding buildinglaws, all construction works should providefor disaster preparedness and hazardresilience.

5.4.4 Roads, Public Streets and TrafficCongestionThere has been a drastic increase in the numberof vehicles with inflow of non-custom paid (NCP)vehicles into Gilgit, due to which there isconsiderable load on the current network ofroads. Gilgit, being the only urban area within a450 km radius, is considered the business hub ofGB. Therefore, people from other areas of GBtravel there for employment, trade, education andhealthcare services. As they use public andprivate vehicles, this results in an increase in thenumber of vehicles, thereby restricting traffic flow.Proper management of these external vehiclesmay decrease the load on internal roads, makingthe flow of traffic smooth.

Responsible InstitutionAccording to the Northern Areas LocalGovernment Order 1979, Schedule V, Section J,Article 29, the MC should provide and maintainsuch public streets and other means of publiccommunications as may be necessary. The Orderalso entitles the MC to prepare and execute aRoad Maintenance and Development Program,which should form part of the budget.270

The Gilgit-Baltistan Development of Cities Act,2012 entities the GDA to initiate and maintain acontinuous process of comprehensivedevelopment and planning for Gilgit.

The planning regarding roads and streets shouldbe the responsibility of the GDA. Since thisorganization is nascent and is in the process ofdevelopment, its only present responsibilityshould be the planning of roads, while theexecution of these plans and the maintenancework regarding roads and streets should bedelegated to the MC.

ConcernsTraffic CongestionAn absence of proper parking areas, roadsideencroachment, lack of traffic signals, an absenceof continuous up-grading and road development,and the poor law-and-order situation hasexacerbated the traffic congestion situation in thecity. The Madina Market, Makkah Market, the NLIMarket, Garibagh Market, Nasreen Film HallChowk, Jamia Masjid, Jamat Khana Bazaar and afew chocks in Danyor face serious trafficcongestion in rush hours.

Road Maintenance Many roads in Gilgit City are broken and potholescan be observed in almost all of them. The mainavenue from Choongi to Gilgit City, Park LinkRoad, Domiyal Link Road, River View Road,Zulfiqarababad Link Road, Shaheed-e-MillatRoad, Hospital Road and most of the roads inDanyor require the MC’s immediate attention.Broken roads cause a public nuisance andhamper the smooth flow of the traffic. A lack offinancial resources is considered the biggesthurdle in road maintenance.

Emissions from VehiclesGilgit’s present air quality has been recognized asan environmental value in Section 2.1.5 of thisreport. Gilgit has a fragile environment and anyincrease in the concentration of pollutants in theair may cause serious problems for the natives.No recent air-quality monitoring survey has beenconducted in the city, but a previous study doneby the IUCN and the Space and UpperAtmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO)271

shows that the air quality in Gilgit City is betterthan the air quality of the main cities of Pakistan,


270. Abdul Basit, Muhammad. 2011, The Gilgit – Baltistan Laws. Lahore: Federal Law House.271. SUPARCO is Pakistan’s national space agency mandated to conduct research and development in space science and space technology. It works towards

developing indigenous capabilities in space technology and promoting space applications for the socioeconomic uplift of the country. www.suparco.gov.pk

especially Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. The airquality of the city is an asset for the natives andalso for the tourists, which necessitates itspreservation.

RecommendationsThe following recommendations regarding theconstruction, maintenance and categorization ofroads and bye-passes, vehicular emissions andtoll taxes are suggested:Constructing and Maintaining the Roadsl As mentioned in the CMP Section 3.8.5, the

GDA should keep streets in the city centerand other commercial areas narrow, toencourage pedestrians and cyclists, whilediscouraging haphazard parking on theroadsides.

l Rules and regulations should be made tosecure the streets and roads from alterationby people. Any alteration prior to anypermission from the GDA should bepenalized.

l The MC should ensure periodic andemergency maintenance of all the roads. Areporting system or an inspection systemshould be developed to investigate the roadsrequiring attention from the MC so that nopothol may go unnoticed.

l Considering the fragile environment of Gilgit,the MC should convert the unpaved roadsinto paved ones, which will minimize theamount of dust in the air and will preserve theexisting air quality.

Categorizing Roads Based on Class of VehiclesAllowed to Pass l Roads should be properly categorized

depending on their allowed access. Incommercial areas and the city center, roadsshould be reserved for pedestrians andcyclists.

l Trucks and other heavy vehicles should notbe allowed access to residential areas.Certain bypasses should only be open for

traffic other than cyclists and pedestrians.

l The GDA bylaws should be formulated tominimize the passage of heavy traffic throughthe internal roads of the city, and a specifictime should be allocated for such movement,if this is possible.

Constructing City Bypassesl Traffic load on the internal roads of the city

should be minimized by constructing citybypasses. Vehicles going to other parts ofGB, including Hunza and Ghizer, should begiven specific routes so as to minimize thenumber of vehicles on the internal roads.New bypasses should be constructed or theMC should specify current roads for thisexternal traffic.

Collecting Toll Taxesl Toll taxes should be collected on main roads

to generate money for their maintenance.Permanent residents of that specific areashould be exempted from paying this tax.Potential roads and areas where toll taxescan be collected include the KKH, UniversityRoad, the NLI market and other commercialareas, Punial Road and all the bridges thatconnect the different areas of Gilgit to oneanother. More information on toll taxation inGilgit can be found in Section 4.

Controlling Vehicular Emissions l The GBEPA, which reports to the Forest,

Wildlife and Environment Department, shouldensure the enforcement of NationalEnvironmental Quality Standards (NEQS)regarding vehicular emissions. Vehicularemissions should be subject to monitoringand inspection by the GBEPA.

Issuing Vehicle Fitness Certificatesl A vehicle fitness certificate should be issued

to any vehicle only after a comprehensiveassessment of its emissions. This isimportant because of the construction of abusiness corridor272 between Kashghar andGawadar. More commercial vehicles will pass


272. The trade corridor between Kashghar and Gwadar will pass through GB and will provide Chinese traders a road link to deliver their goods to the internationalmarkets through the Gwadar Port.

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through the area, causing an increase in airpollution.

Prohibiting Roadside Encroachment l Front entrances to residential areas on main

roads should be prohibited, as when avehicle enters or leaves a house, it hinderstraffic flow.

l Installation of moveable or immovablestructures on the roadside should beoutlawed by the GDA.

Installing Traffic Signals on Main Chocksl Presently, there are only two traffic signals in

the entire city.273 Traffic signals should beinstalled to ensure managed flow of traffic.

5.4.5 EncroachmentEncroachment on the riverbank and nullah sidescan be observed in almost all parts of the city andis due to the absence of proper right-of-ways(RoW) to rivers and nullahs. Roadsideencroachment can be observed in specific areas,such as the Jamat Khana Bazaar, the Raja Bazaarand on the KKH in Danyor. Supply-side shortagesin terms of legitimate spaces for residential,commercial and institutional use may cause thisencroachment. Serious steps should be taken toprovide the required space for each.

Responsible InstitutionsNorthern Areas Local Government Order 1979,Schedule V, Section J, Article 30, prohibitsmovable or immovable encroachment by anyperson on an open space or land vested in ormanaged, maintained or controlled by an MC, orover or under a street, road, graveyard, within themunicipal limits or a drain, except under a licensegranted by the MC and to the extent permitted bysuch a license.274 Under the same law, the MCmay remove the aforementioned encroachmentwith such force as may be necessary. Any personaggrieved by notice issued under this law may,within seven days of the serving of the notice,

appeal to such authority as may be appointed bythe Government in this behalf whose decisionshould be final. No compensation should be givento the encroacher.

According to the Gilgit-Baltistan Development ofCities Act, 2012, after the preparation of thedevelopment plan, the GDA should ensurecompliance with it. This act assigns responsibilityof controlling encroachment to the GDA.However, to efficiently address this dynamic issuein the city, it is proposed that the GDA mayaccept the assistance of the MC to ensurecompliance. Involvement of the MC is beneficialbecause its members are elected by the publicand would efficiently resolve any public grievanceor potential disputes due to the removal of anencroachment. The GDA may seek the assistanceof the GB police in implementing the laws relatedto encroachment.

ConcernsAlthough the GoGB has comprehensive lawsregarding encroachment applicable in Gilgit,serious encroachment along the riverbanks,nullahs and open areas can be observed.Encroachment in public streets in the city centeris causing serious issues. The following types ofencroachment can be observed in the city:

Land EncroachmentSince most of the land is privately owned, theowners protect their property boundaries.However, disputes regarding these boundaries arecommon in Gilgit. Nomads (Jalawan in locallanguage) live in Kuchhi Abadis on riverbanks in afew areas of Basin and Kargah.275 Most of theriverside encroachment is caused by migrantsfrom different villages of GB and Kohistan.276

Roadside EncroachmentEstablishment of illegal roadside cabins andstalls, disobedience of right-of-way (RoW) ofroads and haphazard parking in the city is causingthis type of encroachment. The residential houses


273. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP in September 2013 and December 2013. This was to take the key stakeholders in Gilgit City onboard with the SEA of Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholders involved government officials, secretaries,ministers and representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.

274. Abdul Basit, 2011, Muhammad. The Gilgit – Baltistan Laws. Lahore: Federal Law House.275. Ibid.276. Ibid.

along the main roads with front entrances facingthe road worsen the issue. Roadside dumping ofsolid waste is also hindering the smooth flow oftraffic.

Riverbank and Nullah-side EncroachmentInstallation of water pumps on the Gilgit andHunza Rivers, excavation of pebble, crush andstones from riverbanks, erection of structures thatcause a hindrance to the flow of rivers andtemporary settlements can be included in theriverbank encroachment. These encroachmentsare not merely deteriorating the quality of riverwater but are also causing erosion of the banks.

RecommendationsRecommendations regarding the RoW ofroadsides and riverbanks and work permits inthese areas are provided as follows:Defining Boundaries of Plotsl The GDA should define proper boundaries of

plots as described in the CMP.

Preparing a Digital Database of Landl Complete land-ownership records should be

developed and maintained on a GIS-baseddatabase.

Resolving Land Disputes Using a Digital Databasel A digital database should be maintained to

avoid future boundary conflicts. Presently,land disputes take considerable time toresolve. Efforts should be made, by theconcerned institution, to resolve landdisputes in a minimum time frame.

Defining the RoW of Riverbanks, Nullahs andRoadsl As suggested in the CMP recommendations

Section 3.8, RoWs should be defined forroads, rivers and nullahs. The RoW for roadscan be defined using good engineeringpractices, while the RoW on riverbanks canbe defined as the area to the breadth of atleast 10 meters from the ordinary waterline inthe wet season (or as deemed fit by therelevant institution). The RoW of the nullahscan be similarly defined.

Enacting Bylaws for Proper Implementation l The GDA bylaws should be enacted to

ensure obedience of the aforementionedRoWs of roads, rivers and nullahs. The GDAshould take the responsibility of implementingall these bylaws and should take the help ofthe GB police, if and where required.

l Disobedience of the RoWs and boundariesfor roads, rivers and nullahs, declared by theGDA, should be treated as a serious crimeand penalties should be clearly mentioned inthe bylaws.

Prohibiting Roadside Encroachmentl Roadside cabins and stalls in the municipality

should be prohibited, or a distinct area wherethese stalls may operate should be identified.

l Gilgit traffic police should outlaw roadsideparking. Proper parking signage thatdesignates “no parking” areas should beinstalled, where necessary.

l Roadside dumping of solid waste should bestrongly prohibited.

Issuing Construction Permitsl No construction activity, without prior

approval of the GDA, should be allowedwithin the RoWs. The erection of anystructure causing hindrance to the flow ofrivers and/or nullahs should not be allowed inany case.

Providing Legitimate Spaces for all Sectors277

l Supply-side shortages in terms of residential,commercial and institutional use may causethis encroachment. Serious steps should betaken to provide the required space for each.

Converting Riverbanks and Nullahsides intoRecreational Areasl As suggested in the CMP recommendations,

riverbank and nullah RoWs should be usedas recreational spots for the public.


277. Residential, commercial and institutional

204

Providing Access to the Riverbanksl Access or exit ways to the riversides should

be provided only after permission from theGDA. Materials such as sand crush andstones should not be transported throughthese ways. The preference should be tokeep the number of these ways to aminimum.

Limiting Activities on Riverbanksl Sand mining in terms of excavation of

pebbles and sand on riverbanks should beforbidden.

l Installation of pumps on riverbanks withoutGDA sanction should be prohibited

l Controlled and sustainable fishing should bedone only with GDA sanction.

5.4.6 DrainageThe Northern Areas Public Works Department(NAPWD) has constructed a network of roadsidesanitary drains for Gilgit. The Frontier WorksOrganization (FWO) has also constructed similardrains along the KKH.278 The kuchha and pukkahousehold drains in mohallas and residentialcolonies are constructed on a self-help basis.

Responsible InstitutionUnder the Local Government Order 1979,Schedule V, Section C, Article 9, it is theresponsibility of the MC to provide adequatedrainage systems in the city. The Order allowsresidents to empty their private drains into publicdrains with the prior permission of the MC, whilethe MC has the power to inspect and regulateprivate drains and, by notice, require the owner ofany building, land or an industrial concern withinthe Municipality to construct appropriate drainswithin the building or land or the street adjoiningsuch building or land. Article 10 of the same ordergrants authority to the MC to require commercialand industrial entities to prepare and implement

adequate drainage schemes in their locality.

This Gilgit-Baltistan Development of Cities Act2012 delegates the power of developing,operating and maintaining the drainage system tothe GDA. However, considering the heavyresponsibilities of land-use zoning, developmentand planning already delegated to the GDA,drainage network construction, operation andmaintenance may be assigned to the MC asstated by the Gilgit-Baltistan Local GovernmentOrder 1979. The existing laws are capable ofaddressing drainage concerns in the city.

ConcernsType and Capacity of DrainsThe drains constructed by Northern Area PublicWorks Department (NAPWD) and the FrontierWorks Organization (FWO) are primarily designedfor the collection of storm water and are notmeant for municipal grey water. Existing drainsalong roadsides do not have the capacity toadequately capture larger volumes of storm waterduring the rainy seasons. Due to an inadequatecapacity of the constructed drains, instances ofdrain blockages in the city were noted duringHBP’s site visit.279

Water PollutionLocals use drainage water for irrigation. Theexcess is released in an untreated state into theGilgit and Hunza Rivers.280

High Water TablesPoor drainage in Gilgit is resulting in high watertables in Kashrot, Majni Mohallah, Amphrey andthe Airport. The water table is creating problemsfor building and construction projects in theseareas.281

RecommendationsRecommendations for maintaining and operatingmunicipal, industrial and commercial drainagenetworks in Gilgit are as follows:


278. Pakistan Urban Observatory. "City Profile – Gilgit." urban.unhabitat.org. 2011. http://urban.unhabitat.org.pk/Region/GilgitBaltistan/Gilgit.aspx(accessed January 24, 2014).


280. Ibid.281. Raza, Haider. 2003, Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development. Background Paper, Gilgit: IUCN Pakistan Northern Areas Programme, x+38 pp.

Hospital and Industrial Waste as a Separate WasteEntityl Before dumping into public drains or the river

water, hospital, industrial and commercialdrainage should be treated separately andregulated by the MC.

Industries to Develop Drainage Plan for their Areaof Operationl It is recommended that industries operating

in the city should develop drainage plans fortheir area of operations, get approval fromthe relevant institution and implement theplan in that area.

The MC to Upgrade Existing Municipal Drainsl The existing drains may be upgraded by the

MC along with the construction of newerdrains in areas where required, as part of themunicipal-drainage network for the city.

l Municipal drains should be capable ofhandling storm water.

Use of Municipal Drainage Waterl Municipal drainage water may be used for

irrigation purposes.

l The MC should treat/dilute the drainagewater before introducing it to the river water.

l Drainage water should not be introduced tothe nullahs, as they are the primary source ofdrinking water.

Maintenance of Municipal Drainsl Bylaws are needed for the maintenance of

the drainage network.

l Legislation against dumping solid waste intodrainage networks is needed in Gilgit.

5.4.7 WasteAccording to an IUCNP survey conducted in1998, the average per capita waste generation in

Gilgit is around 0.4 kg per day.282 Based on thisfigure, the total waste generated in the city isabout 36 tons per day.

Through site visits, it was observed thathouseholds situated along water channels directlydispose of garbage into these channels. Usuallywaste is burned at dumpsites in Gilgit.283

Responsible InstitutionUnder the Local Government Order 1979Schedule V, Section A, Article 3, responsibility forthe collection and disposal of refuse rests with theMC. The MC is duty bound to provide dustbins orreceptacles at suitable places and in proper andconvenient locations in streets or other publicplaces. All the refuse removed and collected bythe MC through these dustbins is the property ofthe MC.284

Under Schedule V, Section A, Article 2 of thesame Order, the MC has the authority to issuenotice to owners/occupiers of any building toclean the building to the satisfaction of the MC orto make repairs as may be specified in the notice.Under the Gilgit-Baltistan Development of CitiesAct 2012, the responsibility for sewerage,drainage, solid-waste disposal and relatedmatters is assigned to the GDA. Presentlyhowever, the MC is handling sewerage and solid-waste disposal in Gilgit.

It is recommended that the responsibility forsewerage and solid-waste management in Gilgitshould remain with the MC, as is the presentsituation. Assigning this responsibility to the GDAmay result in burdening the nascent institutionbeyond its present working capacity and may notyield effective results.

ConcernsSolid-Waste ManagementThe Office of the Municipal Administration ofGilgit operates five dumpers and six dustbins inthe city.285 Solid waste is collected from these


282. Raza, Haider. 2003, Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development. Background Paper, Gilgit: IUCN Pakistan Northern Areas Programme,x+38 pp.


284. Abdul Basit, Muhammad. 2011, The Gilgit – Baltistan Laws. Lahore: Federal Law House.285. Ibid.

206

dustbins by the MC using two municipal trolleysand dumped at a site near the KIU. The MC doesnot own any waste compactor trucks. About 50%of the total waste generated in the city is dumpedor burned in open air and 14% is collected by theMC.286

The MC operating in Gilgit is short of manpowerand indispensable equipment. Due to lack offinancial resources, existing infrastructure cannotbe maintained, skilled professionals cannot behired and the necessary procurements arehindered.287

The present waste-dumping site is located inChilmas Das, with the KIU in close proximity of it.Unregulated dumping of waste into Gilgit River,near Nomal Road, is one major cause of waterpollution in Gilgit.

Air Pollution and Health HazardsOpen-air burning and the dumping of waste isbeing practiced along Nomal Road near the KIU.Dumping sites are close to the river on the northside – fire due to burning of waste is one of themajor causes of air and water pollution in Gilgit.The burning of waste is also a major cause ofrespiratory diseases, particularly among children,due to the plastic content in the waste (moreinformation on the environmental values of cleanair in the city can be found in Section 2.1.5).

Special WasteEffluent from service stations in Gilgit isdischarged, without treatment, into nearby smallwater rills and ultimately to water channels. Thereis no proper arrangement to deal with hazardouseffluents generated by hospitals.288

RecommendationsRecommendations for managing the wastesituation in Gilgit, including the prohibition ofopen-air dumping, the burning of waste,collection routes and timings, special andhazardous waste, the recycling of waste, thecapacity of the existing MC and service chargesfor the waste management system are as follows:

Prohibition of Open-Air Burning/Dumping ofWastel MC bylaws should prohibit open-air burning

and dumping of waste into rivers, nullahs oron roadsides and declare penalties forviolators.

l All waste collected in the city for one dayshould be disposed of in a single dumpsiteidentified by the MC.

Provision of Waste Receptaclesl The MC should provide covered dustbins in

recreational areas, parking areas andresidential streets.

Defining Waste-Collection Routes and Timingsl Waste-collection routes and timings should

be identified by the MC so that collectiontrolleys may collect municipal waste anddispose of it at recommended sites.

l As Sabzi Mandies are usually outsidemunicipal limits, regulations should bepassed for waste-collection timing, routes,fees and disposal.

l Central waste-collection systems in themozas should be implemented, so the MCtrolleys may conveniently pick up municipalwaste from specified collection points.

Special/Hazardous Waste Managementl Bylaws are needed for the definition of on-

site treatment and the disposal ofspecial/hazardous waste.

l If on-site treatment is not practiced, hospitalwaste or waste from smaller clinics should becarefully regulated, separated and thendisposed of.

l Prior inspection of hospital waste and itsdisposal should be one of the priorities of theMC. Completely sealed hospital-wasteincinerators should be made a legalrequirement for hospitals operating in Gilgit.


286. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, UN–Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology. 287. Raza, Haider. 2003, Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development. Background Paper, Gilgit: IUCN Pakistan Northern Areas Programme, x+38 pp.288. Ibid.

Recycling of Waste to be Promotedl Recycling of waste, which forms a source of

income for the poorer segment of the society,should be encouraged, and the health of theworkers should be protected with suitableprotective measures.

Operating Capacity of MC to be Upgradedl The structure and working capacity of the

MC needs to be upgraded in order to makethe waste-management plan and legislationseffective.

l Service Charges: Users should be charged,through taxation, for the waste-collection anddisposal services being provided to them.

5.4.8 Deforestation and Uncontrolled GrazingOnly 6% of the total land area in Gilgit is coveredwith forests.289 Most of the trees are privatelyowned and are controlled by individuals, makingthem vulnerable.290 These trees may be choppedwhenever the owner needs wood or money.Greenfield sites in Gilgit identified in the CMP arevaluable assets for the city and should beprotected from any damage. They provide freshair to the city and sequester carbon dioxide(CO2).

Responsible InstitutionThe Forest, Wildlife and Environment Departmentis responsible for implementing the following legalinstruments in GB.l Several provisions of The Forest Act 1927 are

applicable in GB. The Act protects forestareas, regulates forest produce, provides forthe creation of various classes of forest andallows provincial governments to reservestate-owned forest land, assume control ofprivately owned forest land, and declare anygovernment-owned forest land to be aprotected area (PA). The law prohibitsgrazing, hunting, quarrying, clearing forcultivation, removing forest produce, andfelling or lopping trees and branches inreserved or protected areas.

l Northern Areas Wildlife Preservation Act 1975provides for the establishment of nationalparks, wildlife reserves and wildlifesanctuaries; the constitution of a NorthernAreas Wildlife Board; and the issuing ofhunting licenses and certificates of lawfulpossession of forests. It regulates hunting,prohibits the use of inhumane methods andimposes certain other limitations, such astime of day, season and area in which huntingis permitted.

Natives categorize forests in GB into awami(people’s property) forests, artificial forests andgovernment-owned forests. The categorization isbased on the type of ownership mentioned by therespondents. The first type is owned by thecommunities, the second one is mostly owned byindividuals and the final type by the government.Government has banned tree cutting in a fewreserved forests.291

Under the Forest Act 1927, the responsibility ofmanaging forests rests with the Forest, Wildlifeand Environment Department. This frameworkproposes that the complete control of all publicforests should rest with this department, while theprivate forests in the city should be subjected tomonitoring by the same.

ConcernsWood is an important source of fuel, especiallyduring the extreme weather of winter. Cuttingwood for fuel is the main cause of deforestation.Residents of Gilgit usually cut trees for personaluse, however, a few types of wood and timber area source of income. Wood sold in the wintermonths fetches a good price for the seller. Thereare three main issues regarding the currentsituation of forests in Gilgit city:l Continuous deforestation

l Scant vegetation cover

l Privately owned trees


289. Information is taken from land use map for Gilgit (HBP’s Phase 1 Report, Exhibit 3.3) developed by GDA.290. Stakeholder consultations and site visits conducted by HBP in September 2013 and December 2013. This was to take the key stakeholders in

Gilgit City on board with the SEA of Gilgit City Master Plan and to obtain information from them about the city. The stakeholders involvedgovernment officials, secretaries, ministers and representatives of NGOs active in Gilgit City.

291. Bilal, Asad, Dr. Huma Haque, and Patricia Moore. 2003, Customary Laws Governing Natural Resource Management in the Northern Areas. IUCNLaw Programme, xiii+67 pp.


Uncontrolled grazing on slopes and hillsides willcause habitat loss, soil erosion, flooding andlandslides. With the increase in population andthe expansion of the city, destructive grazing willbecome common. More people will use the publicslopes and hills to graze their livestock, causinguncontrolled grazing.

RecommendationsIn order to prevent deforestation and habitatdestruction of the biodiversity in Gilgit, thefollowing set of recommendations are beingproposed:Encouraging Local Farmers for Afforestationl The planting of new trees, shrubs and other

kinds of suitable vegetation in the city shouldbe ensured. Local farmers should be givenincentives to plant a maximum number oftrees in their land, except for on the landused for cultivating crops and vegetables.The local government should provide nativespecies of plants to avoid the introduction ofinvasive species in the city or a properprocedure should be followed beforeintroducing any external species of plants.

Planting Trees on Riverbanks and Nullah Sidesl Riverbanks and nullah sides seem viable

options for tree planting.

Developing Road Vergesl Road verges can also be developed along the

main roads.

Protecting Slopes and Hillsidesl The slopes and hillsides vulnerable to floods,

landslides and erosion should be identifiedand controlled grazing be ensured. Theseareas should not only include the publicforests and wildlife areas, managed by theForest, Wildlife and Environment Department,but also the privately owned areas identifiedas vulnerable to destructive grazing.

Issuing Tree-Cutting Permitsl Where trees are approved to be cut, the

minimum replacement ratio is two new treesfor each tree cut, but this may be greater

depending on the arborist'srecommendations. This should be alsoapplicable to privately owned trees.

l Stop-work orders, delays in construction,replacement-tree requirements, or finesshould be implicated if trees are damaged orcut without proper sanction from the Forest,Wildlife and Environment Department.

Controlling and Monitoring Destructive Grazingl The Forest, Wildlife and Environment

Department should conduct a proper surveyto identify slopes and hillsides vulnerable todeforestation or destructive grazing.

l Areas identified by the Forest Department asvulnerable to destructive grazing should bemonitored and only sustainable grazingshould be allowed in such areas.

Banning Transport of Wood from the Cityl Transport of wood from Gilgit to other areas

without proper sanction of the Forest, Wildlifeand Environment Department should bebanned.

5.4.9 Protected AreasSeveral PAs have been created over the last 25years in GB. However, many of these do not haveeffective management systems. The responsibilityfor managing these lies with the Forest, Wildlifeand Environment Department of GB. NGOsworking on conserving the ecological resourcesand community-uplift schemes include the WorldWide Fund for Nature (WWF–P), the InternationalUnion for Conservation of Nature (IUCN–P), theSnow Leopard Foundation and the WildlifeConservation Society (WCS).

The PAs in the Study Area include the KargahCommunity Managed Conservation Area, DanyorGame Reserve, Jutial Community ControlledHunting Area and Sakwar Community ControlledHunting Area. The Naltar Wildlife Sanctuary islocated at least 40 km away from Gilgit.Previously, the entire catchment of the KargahNullah was declared a wildlife sanctuary.

208

However, recently, it has been handed over to thecommunity and has been declared a CommunityManaged Conservation Area.292

Responsible InstitutionThe Forest, Wildlife and Environment Departmentof the GoP is the institution responsible for PAmanagement in Gilgit.

Under existing laws, wildlife sanctuaries providegreater protection than national parks. Gamereserves afford no protection to the habitat andonly regulate hunting.293 The Forest Act 1927prohibits grazing, hunting, quarrying, clearing forthe purpose of cultivation, removing forestproduce, and felling or lopping trees andbranches in reserved or protected areas.It is recommended that the Forest, Wildlife andEnvironment Department should continuemanaging PAs in and around Gilgit.

ConcernsPA Boundaries and ClassificationThe boundaries of PAs in Gilgit are vague and notclearly defined. There is a need for properdefinition of PAs and their classification based onbiodiversity, habitat and their ecologicalimportance.

PA ManagementThe biodiversity of the PAs is under increasingpressure due to the rising human population andthe need for more land to grow crops and morewood for fuel and housing.294 Commercial andresidential encroachment of the PAs has beennoted, in Gilgit, in recent years.

RecommendationsRecommendations for developing bylaws for PAmanagement in Gilgit are as follows:

Clearly Defined PA BoundariesWhile developing the Plan for Gilgit, it is importantthat the Forest, Wildlife and EnvironmentDepartment clearly specify the boundaries of thePAs in order to prevent any encroachments of citylimits into these areas.

l Fencing of PAs may be done by the Forest,Wildlife and Environment Department in orderto stop encroachment.

Bylaws for PA Managementl Regulations should be made to prohibit any

construction activity in the designated PAs.

l A database of present biodiversity,endangered species and reproduction ratesshould be maintained by the Forest, Wildlifeand Environment Department so thatcontrolled hunting and trophy hunting may besustained in Community Controlled HuntingAreas. The Department should regularlymonitor these areas and accept the help ofthe Gilgit Police Department in order toregulate encroachment or illegal hunting inthese areas.

l Consultations should be done with thetourism department to set rules andregulations regarding tourism activities in thePAs

5.5 Summary of the DiscussionThe discussion of the institutional framework issummarized in Exhibit 5.1.


292. Personal communication with Babar Khan, Manager WWF–Gilgit. 293. Ibid.294. McNeely, J. A. 1993, "Economic Incentives for conserving biodiversity: Lessons for Africa." Ambio 22 (2–3) 144–150.


Exhi

bit 5

.1: P

ropo

sed

Inst

itutio

nal F

ram

ewor

k fo

r Gilg

it Fi

eld

of

Con

cern

Water

Land

Buildings

Roads, Public

Streets and Traffic

Congestion

Encroachment

Res

pon

sib

le In

stitu

tion

•Current: MC

•Proposed: MC

•Current: GDA

•Proposed: GDA

•Current: MC

•Proposed: GDA

•Current: Works

Department

•Proposed: GDA and MC

•Current: MC

•Proposed: GDA

Lega

l Em

pow

erm

ent

ofIn

stitu

tion

•Canal and Drainage Act

1873

•Northern Areas Local

Government Order 1979,

Schedule V, Section B,

Article 8, Clause 1

•Customary laws of GB

•Gilgit-Baltistan Development

of Cities Act, 2012

•The Land Acquisition Act of

1894

•Local Government Order

1979 Schedule V, Section I,

Article 26


of Cities Act 2012



Schedule V, Section J, Article

29 •Gilgit-Baltistan Development

of Cities Act, 2012



Schedule V, Section J, Article

30.


of Cities Act, 2012

Issu

es

•Water Scarcity

•Water Quality

•Zoning

•Preservation of Agricultural

Land

•Design and Construction

•Material Building

Specifications

•Traffic Congestion

•Road Maintenance

•Emissions from Vehicles

•Land Encroachment

•Roadside Encroachment

•Riverbank and Nullah

Encroachment

Rec

omm

end

atio

ns

•Defining New Rights for Water Use

•Fixing Limits on Customary Water Rights

•River Supply Control

•Division of River and Nullah Water Supply

•Equitable Distribution

•Improving Water Quality Control and Supply of Safe

Drinking Water

•Introducing Water Tariff

•Defining Plot Size and Coverage

•Regulating Bifurcation of Plots

•Strategy for Brownfield Sites Land Use

•Bylaws Needed for Defining Building Specifications

•CDA Building Bylaws as an Example for GDA

•Preservation and Promotion of Cultural Heritage through

City Infrastructure

•Buildings to be Disaster Resilient

•Constructing and Maintaining City Roads

•Categorizing Roads Based on Type of Vehicles Using the

Road

•Constructing City Bye-passes

•Collecting Toll Taxes

•Controlling Vehicular Emissions

•Issuing Vehicle Fitness Certificate

•Prohibiting Roadside Encroachment

•Installing Traffic Signals on Main Chocks

•Defining Plot Boundaries

•Preparing Digital Database of Land-Ownership Records

•Resolving Land Disputes using Digital Database

•Defining RoW

s of Riverbanks, Nullahs and Roads


Fiel

d o

f C

once

rn

Drainage

Waste

Deforestation,

Protected Areas

Management

Grazing and Illegal

Hunting

Res

pon

sib

le In

stitu

tion

•Current: MC

•Proposed: MC

•Current: MC

•Proposed: MC

•Current: Forest, Wildlife

and Environment

Department

•Proposed: Forest,

Wildlife and Environment

Department

Lega

l Em

pow

erm

ent

ofIn

stitu

tion


1979, Schedule V, Section C,

Article 9


of Cities Act 2012


1979 Schedule V, Section A,

Article 3


1979, Schedule V, Section A,

Article 2


of Cities Act 2012

•The Forest Act (1927)

•Northern Areas Wildlife

Preservation Act (1975)

Issu

es

•Water Pollution

•High Water Tables

•Solid-Waste Management

•Special Waste

•Air Pollution and Health

Problems

•Continuous Deforestation

•Scant vegetation Cover

•Privately Owned Trees

Rec

omm

end

atio

ns

•Prohibiting Roadside Encroachment

•Issuing Construction Permits for all Construction Activities

•Providing Legitimate Spaces for Residential, Commercial

and Industrial Sectors

•Converting Riverbank and Nullah side RoW

s into

Recreational Areas

•Controlled Access to the Riverbanks

•Limiting Activities on Riverbanks

•Hospital and Industrial Waste as a Separate Waste Entity

•Industries to Develop Drainage Plan for their Area of

Operation

•The MC to Upgrade Existing Municipal Drains

•Use of Municipal Drainage Water

•Maintenance of Municipal Drains

•Prohibition of Open-Air Burning/Dumping of Waste

•Provision of Waste Receptacles

•Defining Waste-Collection Routes and Timings

•Special/Hazardous Waste Management

•Recycling of Waste to be promoted

•Operating Capacity of MC to be upgraded

•Encouraging Local Farmers for Afforestation

•Planting Trees on Riverbanks and Nullah Sides

•Developing Road Verges

•Protecting Slopes and Hillsides

•Issuing Tree-Cutting Permits

•Controlling and Monitoring Destructive Grazing

•Banning Transport of Wood from the City

•Defining Boundaries of Protected Areas

•Regulations for Protected Area Management


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Abdul Sattar Khan. “AJK, Fata, GB, capital population goes up many a time,” The News International,April 08, 2012, Print Edition.

Baig, K. J. (In press). Annotated checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of the northern mountain regionand Potwar plateau of Pakistan with English common names.

Bilal, Asad, Dr. Huma Haque, and Patricia Moore. Customary Laws Governing Natural ResourceManagement in the Northern Areas. IUCN Law Programme, 2003, xiii+67 pp.

Birdlife International, (2013). Important Bird Areas Factsheet: Kargah Wildlife Sanctuary. Downloadedfrom http://www.birdlife.org on 20/11/2013.

Calligaris, C. M. (2010). Executive summary on Attabad landslide survey in Hunza. Ev-K2-CNR, pp 1-20.

CIA, The World Fact book, (Washington D.C, Potomac Publishers, 2010), p. 418.

Dr. Amjad Tahir Virk, Dr. Kashif M. Sheikh and Abdul Hamid Marwat, 2 0 0 3. NASSD Background Paper:Biodiversity. IUCN Pakistan, Northern Areas Progamme, Gilgit. x+74 pp.

Dr. Naila Khalil. Background Paper Health and Environment, (IUCN Pakistan Programme Northern AreasStrategy for Sustainable Development, 2011).

E–Health Magazine "Low bed to population ratio,"http://ehealth.eletsonline.com/2011/09/india–with–low–hospital–bed–density–and–poor–doctor–patient–ratio–says–report/ (accessed December 28, 2013).

Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/438805/Pakistan/276147/Housing>.Environmental Protection Agency-Gilgit-Baltistan, (2013). Environmental Profile of Gilgit Baltistan. Gilgit:EPA-GB.

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A.1 Terms of Reference

A.1.1 IntroductionThe Government of Gilgit Baltistan and GilgitDevelopment Authority (GDA) intends to developdetailed ToR for Gilgit City (limits) Master Plan,and wishes to appoint an interdisciplinary team ofspecialist consultants led by a Town Plannerregistered with Pakistan Council of Architects andTown Planners. The master plan will be preparedin partnership with the GDA and otherstakeholders. It will provide for justification fordecision making, guided growth of the promotion,implementation and timing of all master planinitiatives in the town center, and its peripheryunless superseded. Gilgit-Baltistan means theareas comprising districts of Astore, Diamer,Ghanche, Ghizer, Gilgit, Hunza-Nagar, Skardu andsuch other districts as may be created from timeto time (Refer to the enclosed CMP in Annexure 1).

In Pakistan, large master planning exercises havenot been successful due to a variety of reasons,some due to lack of political will, legislation orsimply an inadequate administrative and financialsystem which has not been put in place, as wellas bad governance. Land acquisition is still achronic problem in implementation of masterplans with a major role played by landdevelopers.1 For successful launching andimplementation exercise, all the above factors willhave to be catered for.

A.2 RecipientThe detailed Master Plan is proposed by thegovernance and development authorities for thedevelopment of Gilgit city and to cater for itsfuture requirements up to year 2025.

A.3 ObjectivesA.3.1 GeneralThe General Deliverables of the Master PlanDevelopment Study are outlined here:The principles of Sustainable Development will

form the foundation for new development, withinGilgit city, and its periphery. These principlesinclude but are not limited to:l Development for Social Progress

l Development for Ecological Balance

l Development for Economic Growth

l Development of Tourism

The Gilgit City Master Plan (GCMP) vision for thefuture, understanding of current conditions, andfuture needs would be incorporated into adetailed land use planning exercise, with futureoptions of spatial growth highlighted includingdeveloping strategies for Urban Renewal.There is a need to develop an implementationstrategy for the (GCMP). This will requireidentification of and capacity building within alead agency, and detailed guidelines forsustainable land use.

There is a need to improve the capacity ofgovernment which shall undertake and implementdetailed land use planning in Gilgit.The Government of Gilgit Baltistan shouldencourage and facilitate, new developments inGilgit within the limits of the environment whilemaximizing the benefits desired.

A.4 SpecificIt is imperative that the sampling techniques arefurnished at the start of all studies. In continuanceto the general objectives, specifics of the exerciseare delineated below:Collection of Data: In depth data collection ofEnvironment, Cultural, Social, and Economiccontext of the study area, and its analysis andsynthesis.

Contextual Impacts: Determining Regionalcontext, location and setting of the Master Planarea, and impact of regional events on the study

Appendix A: Terms of Reference – Gilgit Phase II

1. Hagler Bailley; David Annandale: Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit City, Conceptual Master Plan, 2014.


area, including transportation corridors.

Master Plan Options: Preparation of differentmaster plan options through selection ofcandidate sites to be carried out resulting in theimplementation of a final selection by thestakeholders.

Settlement pattern Options (spatial): Spatialgrowth options will define the broad geographicalapproach and the overall concept of growth.Existing barren sites towards the Chilmas Das andSakwar to be used as the expansion areasoutside the city. (Refer to the enclosed CMP inAnnexure 2), with a schedule of available sitesand areas.

Town Promotion: The promotion of Gilgit as atown that is committed to learning and enterpriseas an evolving and continuous process.Educational Importance: The presence of(Karokaram International University) in the citywith its own redevelopment and growth plans as atestament to such a commitment.

Environmental Benefits & Tourism: Theimprovement of the Environment and general airquality to attract visitors creating a high quality,clean and safe environment with lively and strikingpublic spaces, especially along the river frontareas. This is aimed at increasing tourism in theregion. Improvement of environment along thearcheological and conservation areas will also befocused upon. Recreation should be seen as animportant factor to be addressed. Conservation ofcultural heritage shall also be focused upon.

River Front Development: Recommendation forriver front areas to have detailed polices includingincome generating schemes, protection of riverfront areas and strict adherence to no dumping ofwaste in the river or Nullahs as they are theprimary source of water supply.

Income Generation: Income generation guidelinesfor the population, especially through urbanagriculture and tourism. Strategies of income

generation for municipality will also be formulated.

Urban Renewal and Regeneration: urban renewalto be seen as an income generation exercisespread over; tourism, housing, culture andenvironment. Stress on urban renewal willreinforce the idea of creating a town identity andpromotion of recreation. Not more than threeareas shall be selected for urban and localdevelopment plans.

For urban renewal areas, guidelines for aestheticsi.e. building lines, façade development,fenestration design and materials will bedeveloped for the local urban development plans.

Traffic Management: The improvement of accessand movement to and within the town center tomake the town more user friendly through roadand air infrastructure improvements, improved carparking, developing user friendly transportationnodes and encouraging alternative modes suchas cycling, walking and public transport, with linksto the regional transport system.

Solid waste disposal sites: Policies to bedeveloped for allocation of waste disposal sitesand new landfill areas, hospital waste sites and itsmanagement.

Model Village: Development of the Image ofMarketing of the Town Center and proposedmodel village as a focal point for its rich ruralhinterland for the local residents as well asvisitors, national as well as international. It shouldbe developed as an income generative model,whether through promoting regional arts andcrafts or bed and breakfast facilities. Location andsize determination of model village based uponprime survey data, including the activities to belocated such as vocational training centers withretail outlets, bed and breakfast motels for incomegeneration.

Regeneration: A hierarchy of regenerationpriorities with short, medium, and long-termactions and timelines should be developed into an


Action Plan for the next 10-15 years.Regeneration through enhanced urban agriculturepolices, and methods including anyrearrangement of urban agricultural land.

Availability of adequate Resources: Determiningavailability of scarce resources and itsdistribution.

Growth options: Including population projections,flow of labor and population. Conducting samplesurveys of householders and some estimates ofpopulation through collection of prime data. 5%collection of data for population and 5%collection of data for households.

Housing Demand: Estimating housing demand forthe year 2025 which includes natural populationgrowth and that of government departments aswell as expansion plans of the education andhealth sectors, based on population estimates.

Zoning and Physical Infrastructure: PhysicalPlanning and land use, developing zoningpolicies, especially the concept of mixed zoningor unified zoning. Policies and location strategiesregarding the following, both regarding Gilgit andas a regional Hub.

Seismic Zone: Prepare comments on the NESPAKreport on seismic zoning of Gilgit Baltistan.

Health Surveys: Prime surveys to be conducted ofcomplete health facilities with total number ofbeds of present as well as projections of futurenumber of beds and facilities, which will besupported by the estimated population. Sustainability: Promotion of sustainability of theprepared Master Plan

Industry: Designated industrial zone to bedeveloped within the city limits to allow forcontrolled expansion of local industries. Barrenland of around 15 Ha is to be dedicated for thestorage of warehouses, development of fruitprocessing industry, packaging, stationery,

clothing, cement, handicrafts industries amongothers.

Institutional Framework: Urban Agriculture and itspolicies including land management andconsolidation. Identification of institutionsresponsible for development and implementationof the master plan;

Financial and implementation mechanism: Forimplementation of the Master Plan till 2025, suchas raising revenues, concept of user charges togenerate funds.

Ethnic Strife: Mechanisms for reducing sectarianviolence between various ethnic groups.

Priorities should be identified, using a range ofmeasures including Availability, Impact, Size,Time-span, Enhancement, etc. Appropriateimplementation agencies should be identified, atvarious times, including the responsibilities of thevarious line departments, i.e. power generationand distribution, sewerage, water supply, andsolid waste disposal; this list is not exhaustive.

The recommendations produced should beambitious, yet realistic, sustainable and capableof being delivered. Where the appointedconsultants’ recommendations would require thedepartment to acquire land and property, whetherby agreement or compulsorily, the extent of andjustification for the acquisition will need to beshown.

A.5 MethodologyRegarding preparation of detailed Master Planthere will be literature review of previous studieswith synthesis and conclusions drawn includinggiving special reference to the recent studiesconducted by Hagler Bailey in early 2014, whichwill be reviewed in greater detail and commentedupon. For example comments andrecommendations on Hagler Bailey’s Phase – IIreport and environmental framework onconceptual master plan, policy and institutional


plan and financial sustainability plan shall beprepared.A background analysis of Pilot StrategicEnvironmental Assessment of the master plans forGilgit city and the Phase-II Conceptual MasterPlan report shall be consulted simultaneouslyresulting in a synthesis for the third Phase. Thissynthesis would require reorganization of existinginformation, reshuffling it and giving it a newinterpretation to existing approaches. Samplesurveys of the master plan area as outlined in theobjectives will be carried out leading to commentson strategies and collection of prime surveys tosubstantiate a realistic basis for the followingstrategies:l Strategy for management of air quality and

water quality: Development of Water supplyand distribution networks.

l Strategy for management of solid waste:Determination and calculation of the amountof solid waste and its disposal, location oflandfills.

l Strategy for management of traffic and noise:Public transport and mass transit systemsdevelopment through a traffic demandmodeling program.

l Strategy for sewerage management:Development of Sewerage treatment andrecycling treatment of grey water, commenton the existing sewerage plan for Gilgit city.

l Strategy for nature conservation andrecreation: Model Village proposal, promotionof fisheries (Trout) in the various nullahs suchas the Kargah and conservation of culturalheritage and conservation areas.

l Strategy for Power Distribution: Calculation ofthe power distribution

l Urban renewal: aerial development plans forvarious zones to be prepared, calleddevelopment zones.

l Strategy for development of brownfield and

green field sites for urban expansion.

Current policies, legislation and rules: Relevant tomaster planning and identification of gaps,recommendations for amendments and additionallegislation; Policy and institutional developmentplan; current role under legislation and rules andexpected role for preparation and implementationof the master plan; review of the capacity of theinstitutions with reference to the requirements ofthe master plan; and recommendations forcapacity enhancement and institutionaldevelopment.

Formulation of Legislations: regarding:environmental issues land management, urbanagriculture and land re-appropriation issues,approval of building plans (area wisedevelopment), land acquisition, urban renewalneeds, and implementation of plan, planningcommissions for residential, commercial,institutional and health care.

Financial Sustainability Plan: under thegovernance responsibilities for the preparation ofa detailed Master Plan includes preparation ofpreliminary budget estimates for infrastructuredevelopment, training, capacity building andoperation of the infrastructure and municipalservices in the city including determining theextent of municipal jurisdiction, determination ofthe extent to which the government will rely oninternal and external resources for investment andoperation, formulating proposals for revenuegeneration through charging the users for servicesprovided, preparing recommendations for policy,rules and regulations for imposition of user feesand revenue collection, and givingrecommendations for management of revenuecollection and utilization in particular to; considerthe interaction between statutory consultees suchas the Highways Agency, Environment Agencyand the planning development and otherstakeholders. In addition to that, to identify waysto make it operate effectively and efficiently;classify areas where there is scope for reducingadministrative burdens, for example through

further reduction of or streamlining in informationrequirements or extending the use of planning,consistent with efficient application ofdevelopment controls and delivery of sustainabledevelopment.2

It is imperative that the issues highlighted beaddressed and mitigated at every stage as isevident from the past that regulations for largemaster plans have failed because these issueswere not dealt with.

A.6 DeliverablesStages: The report deliverables shall comprise ofthe following stages:Collection of prime data and in depth study ofprevious studies whereby the review should: (theconsultant should specify in his methodology thecollection of prime data).l Identify the key policy objectives that the

planning system is required to deliver nowand in the future;

l Assess existing institutional deliveryarrangements, noting areas of good practiceand areas in need of improvement;

l Propose options for the future delivery of theplanning system, including plan making anddevelopment management services. Thisshould include consideration of what shouldbe delivered where in the institutionalhierarchy and may include suggesting newinstitutional arrangements.

l Comments on the prime data collected in theform of a synthesis;

A.7 Data compilation and report writing.Inception Report: A brief report to be prepared ofnot more than fifteen (15) pages and submitted inten (10) days and which incorporates the firststakeholder – consultant meeting observations,and vision of the Master Plan objectives.

Draft Report: Preparation of a Draft report of nomore than two hundred (200) pages (withmaximum of 30 pages of Maps, Plans andDiagrams) will be provided within two to threeweeks after conclusive studies are done. Thesecond stakeholder – consultant meetingobservations are incorporated at this stage. Thedraft report submission by the consultant willconsist of four (04) hard copies. The maps will bein addition to the 200 page report.

Finalized Report: Preparation of a finalized reportafter incorporation of all the comments withvarious policy options and strategies formulatedfor growth of the city with plan period of 2025.Third stakeholder – consultant meeting concludesat this stage.

The finalized report submission by the consultantshall comprise of One Soft Copy of the Report(CD) and five (05) hard copies (A-4 size) of thereport.

Note: Bibliography: All the reports produced shallconstitute of a bibliography of all references thatshall be used in the SEA report.

A.8 CoordinationThe project shall require coordination of allinvolved authorities’, departments; stakeholders;clients with the Master Plan consultant. Theconsultant shall be provided with timely updates,responses and comments from all involved.Coordinator shall be appointed by the GDA andshould preferably be a town planner.

A.9 Responsibilities:l Of the Coordinator (appointed by the GDA) to

arrange for meetings with variousgovernment departments and providetransport.

l Of GDA to provide office space for theMaster Planning Consultants, Vehiculartransportation within the city for assistance insurveys and collection of data.


2. Killian Petty Review, Planning Applications: A faster and more responsive system – Final Report, 2008.


A.10 6.2 Stakeholder meetings: There shall be a minimum of three keystakeholders – consultant meetings to discussprogress, comment and revision of work at eachstage, which shall be coordinated by the GDA. l Meeting 1 – At the start of the project and

before the inception report stage; thismeeting shall focus on and address theevaluation of candidate sites as suggested byHagler Baileys’ Phase – II report.

l Meeting 2 – At the Draft Report Stage;

l Meeting 3 – At the Final Report Stage.

A.11 TimeframeThe maximum time duration of all the deliverablestill the finalized report would be ten (10) months.This does not include time for approvals andstakeholder meetings.

A.12 BackgroundGilgit-Baltistan known formerly as the NorthernAreas of Pakistan shares its borders with two ofPakistan’s regional neighbors: China to the eastand northeast and Afghanistan to the north.According to the 1998 census had a population of56, 7012 (excluding Danyor and Sakwar)individuals. Gilgit consists of the following Mozas(Administrative boundaries): Danyor,Muhammadabad, Sakwar, Konodas, Jutial,Sonikot, Khomar, Skarkui, Naikoi, Barmas, andNapura Basin. Gilgit is the capital city of theprovince of Gilgit-Baltistan. It is the administrativeand commercial center of Gilgit-Baltistan andconstitutes 30% of the province3. Situated in theKarakoram mountain foothills, the valleyterminates at the intersection of two rivers, Gilgitand Hunza River. This junction is known as DuoPani (Map 1).

Recent administrative and socio-political changeswill lead towards considerable land-use changesdue to migration and growing land speculation

within the urban precinct and periphery. It istherefore necessary to develop a conceptual andlater a comprehensive master plan to support andsustain the urban development pattern of theregion.

Gilgit city is one of the two major hubs for allmountaineering expeditions in Gilgit–Baltistan.Almost all tourists headed for treks in Karakoramor Himalaya Ranges arrive at Gilgit first. Gilgit liesabout 10 kilometers (6.2 mi) off the KarakoramHighway (KKH). The Karakoram Highwayconnects it to Chilas, Dasu, Besham, Mansehra,Abbottabad and Islamabad in the south. In thenorth it is connected to Hunza and Sust in theNorthern Areas and to the Chinese cities ofTashkurgan, Upal and Kashgar in Xinjiang. Otherthan trekking, Gilgit is also home to manyarcheological sites such as the Kargah Buddhaand the ancient manuscripts and is relativelyclose to the following tourist attractions: NaltarValley with Naltar, Fairy Meadow in Raikot, Shigartown, Yasin and Kargah Valley.

The Gilgit Development Authority department thushas strategic responsibility for urban regenerationand spatial options for growth of Gilgit city.According to the Development Cities Act, 20124,GDA is also responsible for preparation,implementation and enforcement of schemes forenvironmental, improvements, housing, urbanrenewal including slums improvement andredevelopment, solid waste disposal,transportation and traffic, health and educationfacilities and preservation of objects or places ofhistorical, archeological, scientific, cultural andrecreational importance.

3. Government of Gilgit Baltistan, accessed 20 Dec 2013, http://www.gilgitbaltistan.gov.pk/4. Hagler Bailley; David Annandale: Establishing the Context, Pilot Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Master Plan for Gilgit City, 2013.


Exhibit A.1: Duo Pani, Intersection of Hunza and Gilgit River

Exhibit A.2: Good Agricultural Land Opposite Skarkui showing Gilgit Chitral Road


Kargah Buddha to be conserved as a tourist attraction

Sakwar barren sites greenfield area


Suitable riverside developments with abattoir along Gilgit River.

225Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityA

.13

Ann

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e 1


A.1

4 A

nnex

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2


A.15 Team Composition

Personnel Description Man Hours (Months)

Team Leader (MSc. In Town Planning, foreign university) 8

*Urban Designer (MSc. In Town Planning / local or foreign) 6

Junior Town Planner (local) 4

Sociologist 3

Economist 2

Transport Planner: MSc in transport planning, foreign qualified. 4

MEP Engineer/ Infrastructure specialist (3 separate persons) 4

Tourism & Environmental Conservation Hotel Management 2

Archeologist (Artifacts preservation) 2

Urban Landscape Architect (foreign qualified) 2

Demographer / Urban Geographer 5

Environmental Specialist: Foreign Qualified. 3

GIS/MIS expert 6

Legal Specialist (Legislation Specialist): land acquisition & municipal bylaws. 7

Financial Specialist 3

Governance specialist 4

Research Analyst (3 persons): for data compilation & report writing. 6

Economist/Research Analyst 5

Urban Land Use Planner 8

Agriculturist Specialist: specialist in urban growth 6

Sustainability Expert: to give an overview of the process & its linkages. 6Should be an urban planner or architect.

*Could be an architect with a Masters or PHD in relevant focus area.


Pilot Strategic Environmental AssessmentMaster Plan for Gilgit City

National Impact Assessment Programme(NIAP)

International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN)

Report on Pilot SEA Stakeholder ConsultationMeetings in Gilgit City

Date: 16th – 18th September, 2013

Stakeholders Consulted (See Annexure D for acomplete list of participants): Gilgit BaltistanGovernment Departments: Chief Secretary,Secretary Local Government, SecretaryEnvironment, Secretary Finance/Planning andDevelopment, Secretary Industries and Mining,Gilgit Baltistan Council, Environmental ProtectionAgency, Deputy Secretary (Staff)Other Institutions: Water and Sanitation ExtensionProgram (WASEP), Building and ConstructionExtension Program (BACEP), World Wildlife Fund(WWF)

Other Individuals: Local farmer, Local Townplanner/GIS Expert

Conducted by: Mr Vaqar Zakaria, ManagingDirector Hagler Bailly Pakistan

Recorded by: Mr Hussain Ali, EnvironmentalEngineer Hagler Bailly PakistanMs Khadija Amir, Consultations Expert HaglerBailly Pakistan

SummaryA series of stakeholder consultations wereconducted in Gilgit City as part of the planningphase for the execution of a pilot StrategicEnvironmental Assessment (SEA) of Gilgit CityMaster Plan between the 16th and 18th ofSeptember 2013. The consultations were led byMr Vaqar Zakaria, Managing Director Hagler BaillyPakistan and involved meetings with keystakeholders in the government and private sectorin Gilgit Baltistan.

This report begins by providing an outline of theoriginal scope of work that was proposed forcarrying out the SEA study. It then states theissues and concerns raised; and the expectationsthat were shared by the stakeholders during theconsultations. The last part of the reportincorporates these expectations with the initialscope of work of the SEA and recommends a newway forward for the pilot study.

Introduction to the SEA of Gilgit Master PlanThe Government of Pakistan (GoP) andInternational Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN) are jointly implementing the NationalImpact Assessment Programme (NIAP) that aimsto contribute to sustainable development inPakistan through strengthening the EnvironmentalImpact Assessment (EIA) process and introducingStrategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) innational development planning.

The Government of Gilgit-Baltistan (GoGB) wishesto improve the infrastructure and living standardsof its major towns, based on the principles ofmodern urban planning. To implement this vision,the GoGB has recently established the GilgitDevelopment Authority (GDA). GoGB isparticipating in the NIAP program to develop aStrategic Environment Assessment (SEA) of theGilgit Master Plan. The primary objective of theMaster Plan being prepared by GDA is to bringpositive changes in the quality of life of Gilgit’s

Appendix B: Stakeholder Consultation


inhabitants by properly planning available humanand physical resources, and anticipating futuregrowth and planning for the same. The MasterPlan will also focus on estimating futurepopulation, planning of utility services, education,health, infrastructure development, tourism,disaster management, solid waste management,housing and employment. Once approved andnotified, the Master Plan will serve as the basis forfuture urban development of Gilgit city.

Hagler Bailly Pakistan Pvt. Ltd (HBP) is preparingthe SEA in association with an internationalconsultant, Dr. David Annandale, and InternationalUnion for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Theimplementation partners of the Programmeinclude Pakistan Environmental ProtectionAgency (PakEPA); the Environment Wing (EW) ofthe Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC), and theGilgit Development Authority (GDA) under thePlanning Commission of Pakistan (PC).Additionally, the Netherlands Commission forEnvironmental Assessment (NCEA) has anadvisory role in the Project and provides technicaladvice.

Proposed Work PlanThe SEA of Gilgit Master Plan study will be asystematic and iterative process which willidentify and report on the extent to which theimplementation of the Master Plan will achieve abalance of environmental, social, and economicobjectives.

This SEA of Gilgit Master Plan will consist of threemain phases which will be carried out along thefollowing timelines shown in Exhibit 1.

The detailed breakdown of each phase along withthe planned activities within each phase is listedin Appendix B.1.

Phase 1 of the SEA will comprise an analyticalcomponent which will analyze key environmentaland social problems in the existing Gilgit citybased on secondary information. The focus in thisphase will be on current maps and layouts oftowns in Gilgit; and a comparison with all previousurban and town development plans for the region.The initial desk study will involve obtaininginformation about various aspects of social andenvironmental indicators from 1960s to date. Allof the historical and latest data available onhealth, agriculture, irrigation, population, economyand tourism, among others, will be compiled togauge the success and failure of previousdevelopment plans in the region and help identifytheir strengths and weaknesses.

Phase 2 of the SEA will involve preparation ofdraft plans with proposed zoning plans for thecity. This will be followed by further consultationmeetings with the stakeholders. The preparationof draft plans will involve refining options ofvarious plans, predicting their impacts anddeveloping strategies to mitigate their adverseeffects. The draft plans will then be presented tothe stakeholders in a workshop to record theirfeedback.

The last phase of the project will involveproducing a set of recommendations forinstitutional reforms and financial sustainability forthe implementation of the CMP. This phase willalso involve further consultations with the

Exhibit 1: Proposed Timelines for the Three Phases of the SEA StudyPhase 1: Setting the context and objectives; and establishing baselines. 20/09/2013-12/11/2013

Phase 2: Preparing the Conceptual Master Plan 21/10/2013-06/01/2014

Phase 3: Recommendations for implementing the conceptual master plan 27/11/2013-07/02/2014


stakeholders to keep them informed and toensure that the Master Plan as it is developed inits full detail will be acceptable to all thestakeholders.

The participatory component of the SEA includessensitization meetings with the GilgitDevelopment Authority (GDA), and one-on-onemeetings with important stakeholders – some ofwhich have already been conducted – throughoutthe course of the SEA study. Initial stakeholderworkshops, a sectoral stakeholder workshop, anda final consultation workshop are planned as anintegral part of the SEA.

Stakeholder ConsultationsStakeholders are groups and individuals that areaffected by or can affect the outcome of a project.Stakeholder engagement is a broad, inclusive andcontinuous process between a company and itsstakeholders. It encompasses a range of coherentactivities and approaches, spanning the entire lifecycle of a project from planning toimplementation. The objective of conductingstakeholder consultations during the SEA processis to inform all the stakeholders about the Project;record and take into account their opinions,suggestions and concerns; and, gain theconfidence of the Project stakeholders regardingthe methodology, results, quality and depth of thestudy. This is achieved by informing thestakeholders in a timely manner about theproposed project and its potential consequenceson the environment and by encouraging theirfeedback. The SEA will attempt to provide aplatform for dialogue and interaction betweenpolicy makers, planners, stakeholders, and civilsociety at large on environmental priorities and onhow these priorities could be affected by theimplementation of the Master Plan.

A stakeholder scoping workshop was organizedby IUCN on the 9th of July, 2013, in Gilgit topresent the objectives, process and outcomes ofa typical SEA. The workshop also involvedpresentations by IUCN on the background of the

project, the source of funding and how the MasterPlan of Gilgit city would be prepared. Feedbackfrom the participants of the meeting was alsoobtained. The detailed outcomes of the workshopand the list of attendees are given in AppendixB.2.

Following the stakeholder scoping workshop,institutional stakeholder consultations wereconducted by the HBP team, accompanied byrepresentatives from GDA, EnvironmentalProtection Agency of Gilgit-Baltistan (GBEPA) andIUCN; in Gilgit from the 16th to the 18th ofSeptember, 2013. During the course of threedays, HBP’s team consulted differentstakeholders that were present during the scopingmeeting held in July 2013, to follow up and recordtheir views and concerns and incorporate them inthe preparation of the Master Plan. As theenvironmental aspects of a city are related to adiverse range of functions, operations, layout andcomposition of the city, it was critical that as widea range of relevant stakeholders be consulted andtheir concerns taken into account in the planningstage of the SEA so that an acceptable CMP forGilgit city is prepared keeping in view therequirements of the residents of the city. Theseconsultations were to make sure that anengineer’s Master Plan is avoided so that theactual issues faced by the Gilgit city areaddressed in a way that the inhabitants of the cityfind easy to embrace.

The following stakeholders were consulted by theHBP team:l Shehzad Shigri, Director, EPA-GB

l Owais Muzaffar, Secretary Finance/Planningand Development, GB

l Liaquat Ali, Deputy Secretary (Staff), GB

l Mohammad Younus Dhaga, Chief Secretary,GB

l Javed Ahmed, Head, Aga Khan Planning andBuilding Service: WASEP


l Abdul Qayyum, Secretary Local Government,GB

l Babar Khan, Head, World Wildlife Fund(WWF)

l Masood Khan, Town planner/GIS Expert,Aga Khan Planning and Building Services(AKPBS)

l Mohammad Jameel, Deputy Speaker, GB

l Amjad Hussain, Member GB Council

l Jawed Ahmed, Advocate, GB

l Fida Hussain, Deputy Director, Building andConstruction Extension Programme (BACEP)

l Khadim Hussain Saleem, SecretaryEnvironment, GB

l Rai Hasnain Ali, Secretary Industries andMining, GB

Due to time constraints, some stakeholders suchas Force Command Northern Areas (FCNA),representatives of traders, the Chamber ofCommerce and Industry, religious leaders, andother community leaders were not consulted.These stakeholders will be consulted duringPhase II when draft recommendations for theCMP are ready.

Stakeholder ConcernsDuring the course of the three days, numerousconcerns were raised by the stakeholders withregards to the development of the Master Plan.The concerns raised can be classified under thefollowing categories:l Long term vision

l Zoning and land use

l Infrastructure development

l Environmental enhancement

l Institutional strengthening

l Financial sustainability

These are discussed in detail below.

Long-term visionThe stakeholders, during the consultationmeetings, expressed their long-term vision ofGilgit city. One of the basic requirementshighlighted for the future was access to basicutilities and services for the inhabitants of theentire city. The basic services mentioned includedelectricity, clean water supply, drainage systems,solid waste collection, telephone networks andgas connections.

On a regional level, the stakeholders envisage thecity as a trade hub in the future between Chinaand Pakistan. Currently, all trade between Chinaand Pakistan is routed through Gilgit City whichmakes it an important gateway for tradeexchanges from China and Central Asia withPakistan. The stakeholders believed that thedevelopment of Gilgit City will attract foreignvisitors and investors in the future, especiallyonce the Kashgar–Gwadar trade route becomesfunctional. According to them this requires thedevelopment of the city on international standardswith state of the art facilities, designated industrialzones, and adequate infrastructure such as well-connected road networks.

With provincial autonomy now granted to GilgitBaltistan with Gilgit City as the capital, thestakeholders emphasized the importance of thecity as focal point for growth and development inthe entire region. Gilgit City will also be the centerfor all Government-related activities in the future;therefore, its development should take intoaccount the resulting expansion of the city withareas designated for government buildings suchas secretariats, courts, the Provincial Assemblyand other miscellaneous civil offices.

Gilgit City is surrounded by mountains with afresh water river flowing through the city. It alsohouses forests that are wildlife habitats. Thestakeholders demanded that adequate attentionbe given towards the conservation of wildlife,flora, fauna, and provision of features that will

encourage tourism. As a result of uncontrolledexpansion of the existing city, a lot of green areasin the adjoining areas have been cleared forbuildings and plazas leading to loss of wildlifehabitat. These activities threaten rare animals likethe Markhor, which is an asset not just for GB butfor Pakistan as well. Another key feature isagricultural land and houses located at shortdistances from the city which add beauty to thelandscape and the profile of the city. Stakeholderswere concerned that the land in Gilgit wasprivately owned therefore, it is critical to controldevelopment of adjoining areas to maintain thecity’s green landscape. This will protect theenvironment and promote tourism in the areawhich has declined substantially over the years.

Zoning and Land UseStakeholders expressed the need for developingdifferent zones and pre-defined land use policiesfor Gilgit City. One of the key concerns raised withregards to the demarcation of Gilgit City was thatthere are many rural areas and villages around thecity which are being enveloped by the constantlyexpanding city. In order for the city to maintain itsindividual profile, it is important to maintain abuffer between the city and surrounding villagesto avoid blending the rural areas with the former.Stakeholders advised that city boundaries shouldbe defined in the Master Plan and all thedemarcations and zoning should be done withinthose boundaries to avoid merging with the ruralareas.

Different stakeholders expressed development ofdifferent zones in the city which included thefollowing:l Commercial areasl Government buildingsl Heavy urban zonesl Suburban zonesl Recreational zonesl Nature conservation areasl Agricultural zonesl Industrial zonesl Urban renewal sitesl Landfill sites

A clear definition of these zones is critical so thatthe function of each can be preserved and abalance maintained. Uncontrolled developmenthas a drawback of unequal growth in the city andits surroundings. It is expected that the MasterPlan will make sure that the development withinthe city is balanced and confined to therespective zones.

Infrastructure DevelopmentMost of the issues raised at the consultationmeetings were associated with the current andfuture infrastructure of the city. The stakeholderscomplained about the current state ofinfrastructure and utilities provided in the city.

RoadsTraffic blockages and issues related to congestionare particularly common during the morning andlate-afternoon peak hours particularly nearschools. This is mainly due to poor road designsmade by ‘patwaris’1 who lacked adequateengineering knowledge for road network design.Narrow roads make it difficult for two way trafficto pass smoothly, therefore, wide and well-constructed roads were required. It was alsohighlighted that some houses are only accessibleby very narrow alleyways which are extremelydifficult for relief vehicles and fire engines toaccess in case of emergencies.

By-PassesThe deteriorating situation of the city’s bypassesdue to a lack of regulated development was alsohighlighted. Encroachment and increase incommercial activities on the bypasses wasresulting in blockages. Most of the residentialhouses on bypasses have front entrance whichresults in barriers to free traffic flow when vehiclesenter or leave a house. The stakeholdersrecommended that the Master Plan should havenew bypasses with effective control measures toprovide high speed, congestion-free accessacross the city.


1. Patwaris- Refers to village accountant responsible for demarcation, survey and documentation of land.


Water Supply and DrainageThere is abundant water in the city from the riverbut due to the lack of adequate infrastructure forwater supply, many households have limited or nosupply of clean water. Gilgit is an arid zone whichrequires large amounts of water for irrigatingagricultural land yet there is no adequate networkwhich exists for this purpose. All the wastewateris currently either being disposed in the river or insoakage pits leading to the contamination ofground water and the river. Due to the volume ofriver flow, the contaminants are diluted; however,in the future the growing city will generate largeamounts of waste leading to an alarming increasein the contamination levels in river water.Adequate wastewater treatment systems areneeded for the city for handling wastewaterstreams from households, industries, hospitalsand other similar sources.

Power SupplyRegular power outages in the city indicate ashortage of power supply to Gilgit. With the futurepopulation and industrial growth of the city, theneed for an increased supply of power to the citybecomes vital. Gilgit is expected to be the enginefor economic growth in the province of GilgitBaltistan and to serve as a trade transit fromChina and Central Asia to Pakistan. Therefore, aconstant and stable power supply is crucial forthe city.

Gas SupplyThe supply of gas is an issue in the city due to itsdependency on forest wood for fuel purposes.The temperatures in the city drop significantlyduring winters therefore gas is required forheating houses and water. Most of the houses aredependent on wood from surrounding forests forthese purposes which is causing deforestation inthe area. Alternate fuel supply such as gas shouldbe provided to the city.

LandfillThere is no solid waste management system inthe city. Currently the mechanism for handlingwaste in Gilgit is either dumping in the river or

open air burning on specific waste burning siteswhich are located on the banks of the rivers.Burning of waste produces harmful fumes whichare polluting the air quality of Gilgit City.Significant amounts of unburned waste also drainin the rivers from the burning sites. This issuerequires serious attention and it is very importantthat the Master Plan involves adequate solidwaste collection and management system toensure an environmental friendly mechanism fordumping the waste in dedicated landfills. This willnot only make lives of locals easier, but protectthe environment from being polluted.

Industrial AreasWith a vision of the city to act as the industrialhub of Gilgit Baltistan, stakeholders stressed thatdedicated industrial zones should to bedemarcated in the city. This will ensure controlledexpansion of industries. Provision of dedicatedindustrial zones in the Master Plan will aiddemarcation of high standards for heavy trafficflow. It will also help in provision of adequatepower and gas supply lines to bridge the gapbetween demand and supply in future. Theindustrial zones should be located at a distancefrom the residential areas to avoid disruption oflives due to movement of heavy vehicles, noise,release of harmful gases and movement of excesspersonnel.

Environmental EnhancementGilgit City is surrounded by mountains, forestsand green areas which are habitat to a variety ofwildlife especially the Astor Markhor. A fresh waterriver flows through the city and adds to theaesthetic value of the city. Stakeholdershighlighted the importance of conservation ofthese wildlife species and suggested that theareas such as Jutial, Barnas, Sakwar and Kargahshould be declared as recreational areas. Anotherkey environmental feature is the river which flowsthrough the city having both ecological andaesthetic importance. It is important to takemeasures that will conserve the river ecology. It istherefore necessary to ensure the river is notpolluted by activities on the river banks. Use of


exotic species is gradually becoming common inagriculture, such practices should be controlledand the use of exotic species should beregulated.

Institutional StrengtheningA Master Plan for Gilgit City was developedduring the 1970s which could not be implementedowing to absence of executing institutions.Stakeholders feared the same will happen to thenew Master Plan if there is are no institutionresponsible for implementation. It is importantthat the relevant body, GDA has adequatelegislative powers, support and resources fromthe Government to ensure implementation of theMaster Plan. The municipalities also requiresufficient resources to function efficiently andindependently. The Master Plan should providelayout for a strategy to strengthen and enhancethese institutions.

Furthermore, regulatory institutions such as theEnvironmental Protection Agency and otherprivate sector service providers should havepowers and resources to make sure that theMaster Plan is implemented.

Financial SustainabilityMany systems and institutions had failed in Gilgitdue to lack of financial support. The currentsystem is mostly surviving on donations fromforeign NGOs and funds from the FederalGovernment. A financial sustainability strategy forGilgit City is required so the current systems canwork according to their function. Revenuegeneration is also important for capacityenhancement of different government institutionsso that they can work according to therecommendations of the Master Plan. Thestakeholders also pointed out that the MasterPlan should have a financial sustainability plan sothat the institutions can enforce the Master Planon adequate standards.

In Gilgit, people expect to avail themselves of allservices without having to pay for them, so aninternal revenue generation plan through taxationand user pays principle was important. Lack of

funds posed a potential threat to the survival ofthe systems that a typical Master Plan willrecommend, so it was critical that fund raisingschemes, current budgetary constraints andprojected revenues are taken into account whendeveloping the Master Plan.

Other ConcernsThe Chief Secretary GB mentioned that it isimportant for the Master Plan to be completed byMarch 2013 so that it can be incorporated in thenext Annual Development Budget (ADB). Also,Secretary Finance GB requested a follow-upmeeting to discuss further on the SEA project.

Recommendations for Way ForwardRecommendations presented in this section havebeen formulated on the basis of the followingconsiderations:l Comments provided by the stakeholders

summarized in Appendix B.3, and

l Delay in engagement of a town planning firmto undertake the development of the MasterPlan for Gilgit City.

As described in the Terms of Reference for theSEA exercise, ideally the process of developmentof a Master Plan should have been initiated priorto the initiation of the SEA. The SEA processwould have then been integrated with thedevelopment of the Master Plan and contributedto the incorporation of environmentalconsiderations to it through all stages of itsdevelopment. As a compromise, and recognizingthat the commitment of government funds forpreparation of the Master Plan are not likely to beavailable until July of 2014, the followingapproach to the SEA is proposed with newactivities detailed in Appendix B.2, with the sametimelines as stated in Exhibit 1.

The SEA process will produce the following finalproducts:1. An Environmental Framework,2. A Conceptual Master Plan (CMP),3. A Policy And Institutional Development Plan,4. A Financial Sustainability Plan.


The above products will provide a foundation forthe development of a detailed Master Plan by thegovernment later next year. These productsrespond to the concerns raised by thestakeholders, and primarily address thesustainability of the Master Plan. In the absenceof the environmental, institutional, and financialframeworks, the Master Plan will remain a paperdocument with little possibility of making aserious contribution to the future development ofthe city in a sustainable manner. TheEnvironmental Framework, the Policy andInstitutional Development Plan, and the FinancialSustainability Plan are the essential elements ofan SEA for a master plan of a city. The CMP is anadditional product which will fill the gap createdby the delay in the engagement of masterplanning consultants and experts by the GDA.The CMP will provide a basic level of detail for theMaster Plan itself and the context fordevelopment of other plans listed above. HBPtherefore envisages a more intensive input from atown planning expert for the SEA compared tothat anticipated earlier when it was assumed thatthe preparation of the Master Plan would alreadybe underway.

All the SEA products listed above can be directlyincorporated into the detailed Master Plan thatwill be prepared later by the GDA, and will providea head start to it. The SEA team can remainengaged with the Master Plan process later nextyear if resources and schedule permit. Principlecomponents of the suggested outputs for the SEAare outlined below.

1. Environmental Framework for the MasterPlan

l Identification of environmental and socialvalues and resources, and cultural context

l Principles of environmental sustainability tobe followed in the development of the MasterPlan

l Overview of traditional rights and issuesarising out of traditional rights

l Broad classification of land use zones

l Strategy for management of air quality andwater quality

l Strategy for management of solid waste

l Strategy for management of traffic and noise

l Strategy for nature conservation andrecreation

l Strategy for conservation of cultural heritage

l Public participation and grievance redressal

2. Conceptual Master Planl Basis for planning such as population growth

rates and targets for economic and socialdevelopment

l Investigation of existing boundaries plannedfor the master city, any no-go areas, orexisting cultural, touristic, religious buffers inplace

l Basic restrictions and regulatory requirementsfor the zones

l Strategy and infrastructure for managementof waste water including sewerage, sewagetreatment, and recycling

l Spatial coverage of the Master Plan includingrecommended boundaries and recommendedbuffer zones in lieu of SEA study

l Broad layout of the zones taking into accountbaseline conditions and future requirementsfor expansion of the city

l Classification and layout of traffic corridorsand integration of public transport and masstransit

l Sources of water supply (Phase 1), andstrategy and infrastructure for distribution andmanagement


l Strategy and infrastructure for managementof solid waste including recycling andlocation of landfills

l Infrastructure for power supply anddistribution

l Protection and development of sites ofcultural, nature conservation, andrecreational importance

l Identification of resettlement requirements ifany and strategy for resettlement

l Urban renewal in the old city

3. Policy and Institutional Development Planl Current policies, legislation, and rules

relevant to Master Planning and identificationof gaps

l Identification of institutions responsible fordevelopment and implementation of theMaster Plan

l Current role under legislation and rules, andexpected role for preparation andimplementation of the Master Plan

l Review of the capacity of the institutions withreference to the requirements of the MasterPlan

l Recommendations for amendments andadditional legislation

l Recommendations for capacity enhancementand institutional development

4. Financial Sustainability Planl Preparation of preliminary budget estimates

for infrastructure development, training,capacity building, and operation of theinfrastructure and services in the city

l Determination of the extent to which thegovernment will rely on internal and externalresources for investment and operation

l Proposals for revenue generation throughcharging the users for services provided

l Recommendations for policy, rules, andregulations for imposition of user fees andrevenue collection

l Recommendations for management ofrevenue collection and utilization


B.1 Detailed Work Plan

Phase 1: Setting the context and objectives, establishing the baseline and deciding on the scope

Activity 1: Institutional Analysis and Stakeholder Mapping

Identification of current policies, legislation, and rules relevant to Master Planning and identification ofgaps

Identification of institutions responsible for development and implementation of the Master Plan

Identification of institutional values (i.e. stated mission, objectives, legal responsibilities) with regards toEnvironmental, Social, Available Resources, Cultural

Collect data on other relevant plans, programs, and sustainability objectives

Documenting the roles of different non-government organizations of relevance to the development andimplementation of the Master Plan

Research on traditional rights and issues arising out of traditional rights

Developing a stakeholder map of all relevant institutions (government, private, NGOs) to thedevelopment and implementation of Master Plan

Develop public participation strategy

Activity 2: Mapping baseline GB City geographical limits, buffer zones, development plans, etc.

The history of the development of the existing city and salient features of its layout and organization

Landscape information (existing city boundaries and buffer information)

Identifying infrastructure for management of waste water including sewerage, sewage treatment, andrecycling

Accessing P&DD GIS base maps for Gilgit

Activity 3: Collecting baseline information of the existing city ( ecological, social, economic, etc.)and Identification of environmental and social values and resources, and cultural context

Ecological baseline information and compiling issues related to the existing city

Social baseline information and compiling issues related to the existing city

Economic baseline information and compiling issues related to the existing city

Identifying basis for planning such as population growth rates and targets for economic and socialdevelopment

Environmental baseline information (Traffic, Noise, Waste Management, Drainage, Water Supply, AirQuality etc.) and related issues of the existing city


Phase 2 Activities: Conceptual Master Plan

Activity 1: Predicting future of existing city keeping existing issues and socioeconomic growthindicators in mind and identifying 'danger zones'

Predicting future issues that may arise from the existing management of waste water includingsewerage, sewage treatment, and recycling

Predicting future issues that may arise from the existing management of solid waste including recyclingand location of landfills

Predicting future issues that may arise from the existing management of air quality and water quality

Predicting future issues that may arise from the existing management of solid waste

Predicting future issues that may arise from the existing management of traffic and noise

Predicting future issues that may arise from the existing management of nature conservation andrecreation

Predicting future issues that may arise from the existing management of conservation of cultural heritage

Activity 2: Strategizing Management of Existing Issues

Strategy and infrastructure for management of waste water including sewerage, sewage treatment, andrecycling

Strategy and infrastructure for management of solid waste including recycling and location of landfills

Strategy for management of air quality and water quality

Strategy for management of solid waste

Strategy for management of traffic and noise

Strategy for nature conservation and recreation

Strategy for conservation of cultural heritage

Identification of resettlement requirements if any and strategy for resettlement

Mitigating adverse effects and maximizing beneficial effects

Activity 3: Recommendations for Future Development of City and a Conceptual Master Plan

Principles of environmental sustainability to be followed in the development of the Master Plan

Protection and development of sites of cultural, nature conservation, and recreational importance

Broad classification of land use zones

Spatial coverage of the Master Plan including recommended boundaries and recommended bufferzones in lieu of SEA study

Infrastructure for power supply and distribution

Predicting the effects of the chosen options

Public participation and addressing grievances


Phase 3 Activities: Informing and Influencing Decision-making

Preparation of preliminary budget estimates for infrastructure development, training, capacity building,and operation of the infrastructure and services in the city

Proposals for revenue management and generation through charging the users for services provided

Determination of the extent to which the government will rely on internal and external resources forinvestment and operation

Recommendations for institutional reform

Recommendations for capacity enhancement and institutional development

Recommendations for policy, rules, and regulations for imposition of user fees and revenue collection

Recommendations for amendments and additional legislation

Consultation


B.2 Scoping WorkshopB.2.1 Workshop Minutes

241



B.2.2 Attendees List of Scoping WorkshopNo.

Name

Designation

Organization

Contact

Email

Signature

1.Shehzad Shigri

Director

EPA

03003689340

[email protected]

2.Shahbaz Nadeem

DC Gilgit

Dist. Admin

03336107415

3.Muham

mad Saleem

Program

me Manager, Special projects

AKRSP

03455566224

4.Qasam

Ali Shah

Senior PM, AKPBSP

AKPBSP

03469751662

5.Shoail Hussain

Editor (Blog) Parbot Caption

Media (Parbot Caption)

03555606548

6.Sam

ar Abbas QazafiEditor GEO GB, PID Glt

PID

03455068337

qazafimedia@gm

ail.com

7.Khadim Hussain

AD GBEPA

GBEPA

03462532944

hussain.gebpa@

yahoo.com

8.Rehmat Ali

Conservation Coordinator

WWF-PAK Gilgit-Baltistan

rehm

[email protected]

9.Javed Akhtar

Deputy Director

Department of Agrivulture GB

[email protected]

10.

Mubashir Hussain

Water Managem

ent Officer

GB-EPA

hussain.wmo@

gmail.com

11.

Syed Jawar Hussain

Scientific Officer

GB-EPA

[email protected]

12.

Muanwar Hussain

AD

GB-EPA

mosvi.naepa@

yahoo.com

13.

Iram

Sifat

Student/internee

GB_EPA

[email protected]

14.

Shahzad hussain

Reporter

K.P.W

Shahzadh14@

gmail.com

15A.R. Bukhari

INP

16.

Masood Azam

Research Officer

P&OD/GDA

masoodazam

@gm

ail.com

17.

Javed Iqbal

Chief Officer

Municipal Com

mittee

03555101577

18.

Muham

mad Nazir KhanDeputy Chief

P&D Deptt. GB

Nazirkhandc@

yahoo.com

19.

Ghulam Murtaza

Superintending Engineer

Water & Power Dept. GB

[email protected]

20.

Faisal Usm

anDirector Admin

Gilgit-Dev Authority

0355555131

faysalosman@gm

ail.com

21.

Mehmood Ghaznavi

DFO

GDA

GDA

[email protected]

22.

Arif Hussain

Director GDA

Gilgit development Authority

03469550988

[email protected]

23.

Ham

zaConsultant

IUCN

24.

Sh cfarooq Ham

eed

DG EPA payable

Govt. of GB

03004334563

farooqhsh@

gmail.com

25.

Asadullah Faiz

Secretary (P&D) GB

Govt. of GB

Asullullahfaiz2000@

hotmail.com

26.

Sajid Ali

Internee EPA

EPA

03555111281

27.

Mahmood Alam

RG

P&D

malam

pk@gm

ail.com

28.

Nazakat Ali

PTV, Daily K2 reporter

PTV News

03445404499

nazakatglt@

yahoo.com

29.

M. M

uzaffar

Deputy Chief

P&D Dept.

03469237125

30.

Nasir Hussain

Assistant

GB, EPA

03555117750

31.

Ismat Abbas

Internee

GB, EPA

Abbas.ismat@gm

ail.com

32.

Tariq Hussain Shah

President

Gilgit Union of Journalists

guilgit@

gmail.com

33.

Manzar Shiqri

Sam

ma OSR

Saama TV

manzarshiqri@

gmail.com

34.

Haider Raza

EIA Expert

GB, EPA

922016

35.

Miraj Alam

Scientific Officer

Agriculture

03464521346

36.

Sir Syed

Agriculture Officer

Agriculture

37.

Azfar Ansari

IUCN

03452004148

38.

Ahm

ed Saeed

Project Manager

IUCN

03452004208

39.

Ham

za Butt

Consultant

NIAP

03004003443


B.3 Log of Meetings

B.3.1 Meeting: EPA-GB

Stakeholder: Environmental Protection Agency GB (EPA-GB)

Date: September 16, 2013

Time: 12:40 pm

Meeting Venue: EPA Office

Attended by: Shahzad Shigri (SS), Director EPA-GB

Arif Hussain (AH), Director Gilgit Development Authority

Faisal Usmani (FU), Deputy Director Gilgit Development Authority

Haider Raza (HR), GB-Representative IUCN

Conducted by: Vaqar Zakaria (VZ), Managing Director HBP

Recorded by: Khadija Amir (KA), Consultation Expert, HBP

Hussain Ali (HA), Environmental Engineer HBP

Language: Urdu and English

Preamble: Background Information Document (English) on Strategic

Environmental Assessment of Gilgit City Master Plan

Concerns/Discussion:l Inconsistency in tasks shared with HBP and GDA by IUCN.

l As per HBP’s understanding of the Terms of Reference, it was expected that HBP will carry out theSEA on the environmental aspects and zoning would be done by identifying the key issues faced inGilgit.

l AH expected that a Master Plan in complete engineering detail would be developed by HBP.

l Following discussion with Ahmed Saeed it was clarified that HBP is responsible for SEA and zoningfor the Master Plan which will act as a framework for a detailed Master Plan.

l SS: Most of the land in Gilgit is owned privately. Regulating the development and implementing theMaster Plan will be challenging owing to private ownership.

l FU: How will HBP integrate the existing sewerage plan and will it affect the timelines as thesewerage plan is ready and is expected to be implemented soon. VZ clarified that HBP willincorporate the sewerage plan into the Master Plan and the sewerage plan can be implementedparallel to the development of the Master Plan.


B.3.2 Meeting: Secretary Finance/P&D GB

Stakeholder: Secretary Finance/Planning and Development GB


Time: 1.45 pm

Meeting Venue: Secretary Finance Office





Owais Muzaffar (OM), Secretary Finance/P&D-GB





Preamble: VZ briefed the participants about the purpose of the meeting. A copy

of Background Information Document (English) on Strategic


Concerns/Discussion:l SS briefed the participants about the NIAP program, funding sources, objectives and how the pilot

project was selected for GB by FU and Study Area.

l OM supported the efforts and requested all the information related to the SEA and Master Plan. Healso requested a follow-up meeting.


B.3.3 Meeting: Deputy Secretary (Staff) GB

Stakeholder: Deputy Secretary (Staff) GB


Time: 2.45 pm

Meeting Venue: Deputy Secretary office





Liaquat Ali (LA), Deputy Secretary (Staff)-GB

Jameel Ahmed (JA), Deputy Speaker-GB

Yaqoob Shah (YS), MNA-GB







Concerns/Discussion:l JA: A sewerage plan has been developed and is being finalized for implementation. What are the

timelines for completion of the Master Plan. The implantation of the sewerage plan will be delayeddue to the time required for the Master Plan.

l VZ: The sewerage plan can be implemented as planned in parallel to the preparation of the MasterPlan. The existing sewerage plan will be taken into consideration and will be duly incorporated inthe Master Plan.


B.3.4 Meeting: Chief Secretary GB

Stakeholder: Chief Secretary GB


Time: 3.00 pm

Meeting Venue: Chief Secretary Office





Mohammad Yunus Dagha (MYD), Chief Secretary-GB

Liaquat Ali (LA), Deputy Secretary (Staff)-GB







Concerns/Discussion:l SS briefed the attendees on the objective of the meeting and background of the Project

l VZ briefed the attendees on the update of SEA and HBP’s role. He explained the timelines for thecompletion of the SEA and Master Plan

l MYD enquired about how the detailed plan would be designed. AH explained that IUCN will berequested to recruit specialized town planners for this purpose

l MYD fully supported and endorsed the SEA project and proposed completion of the Master Planbefore March 2014 for inclusion in the next ADP, if the project is delayed, the implementation willthen be delayed until the next ADP in 2015.


B.3.5 Informal Discussion: Local Farmer

Stakeholder: Local farmer


Time: 4.00 pm

Meeting Venue: EPA Office





Local farmer (LF)







Concerns/Discussion:l AH raised the following issues

- Kargah Nullah water is allotted to households on rota system, 2 days a week per house only

- It is difficult to control the development of private lands. Institutional strengthening of GDA and legislative support will play an important role in regulating the development of the city.

- Congestion on the bypasses needs to be considered in the Master Plan.

l VZ explained that the development on bypasses needs to be regulated, no shops should beallowed, and minimum 30 feet distance should be left for parking.

l SS: The encroachment on slopes should be controlled strictly to conserve the landscape of the city

l LF intends to construct a plaza on his agricultural land in future and earn by renting out houses toprovide shelter for his family.

l LF grows most of the vegetable used at home on own land; due to shortage of growth in winters,vegetables are bought from the market.


B.3.6 Meeting: Aga Khan Planning and Building Service (WASEP)

Stakeholder: Water and Sanitation Extension Programme (WASEP)


Time: 10.35 am

Meeting Venue: WASEP Office





Syed Munawwar Hussain (MH), Assistant Director EPA-GB,

EIA Enforcement)

Javed Ahmed (JA), Head WASEP

Saleem Khan (SK). Programme Manager WASEP

Masood Khan (MK), Town planner/GIS Expert WASEP

Esaar Khan (EK), Water Quality Analyst WASEP

Shakila Bibi (SB), Senior Field Engineer WASEP







Concerns/Discussion:l HR introduced the project and VZ explained the objectives and outcomes of the Master Plan

l VZ explained that engineering consultants will be taken on board within 6-8 months to develop thedetailed engineering Master Plan

l JA raised the following issues:- People in Gilgit are migrating from rural areas, and they are not satisfied with the provision of facilities from municipality, they prefer traditional communal models.

- Institutions can be strengthened but there will be political pressure which cannot be ignored.

- Road network is critical and should be given due consideration in the plan. Roads need to be broadened because passage of two-way traffic is difficult on the current road network. The existing roads were irregularly designed by local people and patwaris so they are not efficient and engineered designing needs to be carried out.

- Plazas are constructed with five to six stories but no provision for parking is provided.


- There is no public transport system in the city. Only private Suzukis are operating in the city as public transport. People would prefer buses in the city if they are of good quality, punctual and well connected.

- Water rights are not defined. The government needs to engage local communities and determinewater rights.

- Wastewater is normally sent to soakage pits which results in contamination of ground and river water.

- Waste from industries and hospital located at the banks of the river is dumped into the river. There is no control on industries on river banks.

- Every new change receives resistance so the Master Plan is also expected to receive resistancesfrom:1. Communities2. Religious leaders3. Politicians4. Community leaders5. Local people

l MK raised the following issues:- Gilgit city Master Plan was developed in 1970s but was never implemented due to lack of legislative provisions. The new Master Plan should be supported by a legal framework and institutions like GDA should be strengthened to be able to implement the new Master Plan.

- Some streets in Gilgit are five to six feet wide and it is difficult for vehicles to access these areas in emergencies like fire engine or ambulance.

- Zoning should be carried out in Khumar which is a semi urban area.

- Agriculture waste should be controlled and green area should be conserved.

- There was a need for implementing Land Acquisition Act for widening roads.

- Strict requirement for EIA’s should be imposed in the city for all development projects.


B.3.7 Meeting: Secretary Local Government GB

Stakeholder: Secretary Local Government-GB


Time: 1.00 pm

Meeting Venue: Secretary Local Government Office





Syed Munawwar Hussain (MH), Assistant Director EPA-GB,

EIA Enforcement

Abdul Qayyum (AQ), Secretary Local Government GB

Sheraz Nadeem (SN), Superintendent, GB







Concerns/Discussion:l VZ introduced the project and explained the importance of revenue generation for financial

sustainability

l AQ raised the following issues:- Drainage and sewerage in the city is a major problem and a plan is needed for proper design of these utilities.

- No property tax in being collected which can serve as means for finance for the department.

- Currently all the waste is discarded into the river.

- The municipal committee headed by a Chairman and a Vice Chairman have not been elected yet.

- Proper solid waste disposal system has to be designed. Unhygienic practices have led to incidence of many diseases like blood cancer in Gilgit.

- People want good services but there is no willingness to pay for these services owing to poverty.

- Leakages in water supply pipes caused contamination of water. This requires adequate maintenance of pipe systems.


B.3.8 Meeting: World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

Stakeholder: World Wildlife Fund (WWF)


Time: 4.50 pm

Meeting Venue: WWF office

Attended by: Babar Khan (BK), Head WWF-GB







Concerns/Discussion:l VZ briefed the participants about the purpose of the meeting.

l BK raised the following issues and concerns:- Gilgit city is surrounded by mountains, forests and green areas which are habitat to a variety of wildlife especially the Astor Markhor. It is important to conserve the habitat for wildlife species. These wildlife habitat areas should remain intact and the Master Plan must make sure that the city does not expand to these habitats.

- Jutial, Barnas, Sakwar and Kargah can be used for recreational purposes and some of these areas can provide wildlife sighting.

- The Gilgit River flows through the city and has both ecological and aesthetic importance. It is important to take measures that will conserve the river ecology. It is therefore necessary to ensure the river is not polluted by activities on the river banks.

- Use of exotic species is gradually becoming common in agriculture, such practices should be controlled and the use of exotic species should be regulated.

- Hazard risk assessment for river flooding should be conducted as part of the SEA/Master Plan development.


B.3.9 Meeting: Masood Khan Town Planner/GIS Expert (AKPBS)

Stakeholder: Aga Khan Planning and Building Services (AKPBS)


Time: 5.45 pm


Attended by: Masood Khan (MK), Town planner/GIS Expert (AKPBS)







Concerns/Discussion:l MK raised the following issues:

- Town planning graduates from Gilgit city with an understanding of the local needs should be taken on board in preparation of the Master Plan.

- Small streets in the city make passage of vehicles difficult. VZ responded that small streets add to the beauty and profile of the city, so they should be protected and given a better aesthetic look.

- Open drains along the streets attract flies and insects, resulting in spread of diseases.

- There are sectarian differences in the city. It was difficult for people to relocate due to religious and cultural preferences.

- Alternate routes should be provided to reduce congestion.

- Unwanted traffic could be avoided by imposing toll taxes in the city center.

- It is important to conserve the mazaars as they are an asset to the city.

- Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) should made mandatory as part of approval for any project.


B.3.10 Meeting: Lawmakers GB

Stakeholder: Lawmakers GB


Time: 9.45 pm

Meeting Venue: Serena Hotel

Attended by: Arif Hussain (AH), Director Gilgit Development Authority

Jameel Ahmed (JA), Deputy Speaker GB

Amjad Hussain (AM), Advocate/Member GB Council

Javed Ahmed (JV), Advocate GB







Concerns/Discussion:l VZ briefed the participants about the purpose of the meeting

l AM raised following concerns and issues:- Keeping in view the potential of trade and tourism, the existing infrastructure does not suffice theneeds and requires further enhancement.

- A plan for the Gilgit city was developed previously which was not implemented. It is important that this Master Plan is taken to the next level that is implementation.

- Currently the city has expanded in one direction only, this has to be made uniform.

- Community water rights have not been documented which gives rise to disputes. There is need to regulate the water rights.

- Development on the river banks must be regulated.

- GDA and other government institutions should be strengthened.

- Encroachment is common in the city which needs to be regulated.

l AH suggested allowing one-way traffic only on the roads that are subjected to blockage due toexcessive traffic for example the airport road.


B.3.11 Meeting: Building and Construction Extension Programme (BACEP)

Stakeholder: Building and Construction Extension Programme (BACEP)


Time: 10.35 am

Meeting Venue: BACEP Office

Attended by: Arif Hussain (AH), Director Gilgit Development Authority


Fida Hussain (FH), Deputy Director, BACEP

Masood Khan (MK), Town planner/GIS Expert, AKPBS







Concerns/Discussion:l FH explained the structure of AKDN which has 3 sub branches, WASIP, BACIP and Construction

Risk Management

l FH raised the following concerns:- GDA does not own land in Gilgit like CDA, so revenue generation for this body is difficult.

- There are no-go areas in the city and people in one area will not relocate to another due to sectarian issues.

- Some areas also have severe flooding problems. If roads are widened then dislocation of people should be taken into account.

- Poor infrastructure and open wires leads to electrocution of kids and livestock. Roads have to bewidened for access to emergency vehicles like firefighting engines

- Key requirements of the citizens are basic facilities like electricity, water, gas, telephone. VZ assured that these facilities will be included in the Master Plan however, the facilities will be provided with a service cost to ensure sustainability.

- Increased tectonic activity in Kashmir region, Gilgit is now in high risk area prone to tectonic activity. Gilgit is now in 3+ Richter scale and Chitral is 4.


B.3.12 Meeting: Secretary Environment GB

Stakeholder: Secretary Environment GB


Time: 11.50 am





Khadim Hussain Saleem (KH), Secretary Environment GB







Concerns/Discussion:l SS and VZ introduced the project background, objectives and the expected outcomes

l Following issues were raised by KH:- The commercial areas in the city have to be confined and the general stores have to be regulated. Zoning in the city is important, one way streets should be made to manage the traffic efficiently.

- Open disposal of waste should be controlled and seepage of waste water in the ground should be discouraged.

- Workshops and service stations on Shaheed-e-Millat road which exceed the requirement compared to the number of vehicles in the city should be discouraged. The workshops contaminate the water streams with grease and other waste particles.

- Butcher shops on roads should be made to avoid waste disposal into streams.

- Deforestation for fuel wood and agricultural purposes has to be controlled. There is a need for the clear demarcation of forested areas so that cutting wood can be controlled.

- Kargah Nullah can be declared as a recreational area, as rare animals like Markhor can be seen there

- River was the most vulnerable natural source in the city. Due to its turbulence, the harmful effects of waste disposal are diluted but still the waste dumping should be controlled.

- River View road has a lot of potential so it should be adequately developed. The Master Plan should also provide recreational areas and parks for the city for the entertainment of tourists andpeople coming here from adjoining villages for work purposes.

l SS raised concern that the Kargah and Jutial are water sources which are being encroached andhave to be protected.


B.3.13 Meeting: Secretary Industries and Mining GB

Stakeholder: Secretary Industries and Mining GB


Time: 12.45 pm




Rai Hasnain Ali (RHA), Secretary Industries and Mining GB

Fareed Ahmed (FA), Deputy Secretary Industries and Mining GB







Concerns/Discussion:l SS introduced the project and gave the background. He enquired if there was any planned industrial

area or any other projects in the pipeline which need to be considered for the Master Plan.

l RHA suggested that crush machines are eroding the mountains so there should be a check on themand they should be regulated.

l RHA suggested incorporating current industrial zones in the Master Plan.


B.4 Photographs of Stakeholder Meetings

Meeting with Secretary Finance/P&D GB Meeting with EPA-GB

Meeting with Chief Secretary GB Informal Discussion with Local Farmer

Meeting with WASEP Meeting with WASEP

Meeting with Secretary Local Government GB Meeting with Secretary Local Government GB


Meeting with Masood Khan (AKPBS) Meeting with Lawmakers GB

Meeting with Lawmakers GB Meeting with BACEP

Meeting with Secretary Environment GB Meeting with Secretary Industries and Mining GB


Appendix C: Species in Gilgit City

Exhibit C.1: Mammals Species Reported from Study AreaNo Scientific Name Common Name Family IUCN Status

1. Crocidura pullata Kashmir White-toothed Shrew Soricidae Data Deficient

2. Rhinolophus macrotis Big-eared Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophidae Least Concern

3. Eptesicus serotinus Common Serotine Vespertilionidae Least Concern

4. Pipistrellus pipistrellus Common Pipistrelle Vespertilionidae Least Concern

5. Barbastella leucomelas Asian Barbastelle Vespertilionidae Least Concern

6. Otonycteris hemprichii Hemprich's Long-eared Bat Vespertilionidae Least Concern

7. Canis lupus Wolf Canidae Least Concern

8. Vulpes vulpes Red Fox Canidae Least Concern

9. Martes foina Stone Marten Mustelidae Least Concern

10. Lutra lutra Eurasian Otter Mustelidae Near Threatened

11. Caracal caracal Caracal Felidae Least Concern

12. Prionailurus bengalensis Leopard Cat Felidae Least Concern

13. Panthera pardus Common Leopard Felidae Near Threatened

14. Panthera uncia Snow Leopard Felidae Endangered

15. Lepus capensis Cape Hare Leporidae Least Concern

16. Ocotona Royle's Pika Ochotonidae Least Concern

17. Eoglaucomys fimbriatus Small Kashmir Flying Squirrel Sciuridae Least Concern

18. Eupetaurus cinereus Woolly Flying Squirrel Sciuridae Endangered

19. Apodemus rusiges Kashmir Field Mouse Muridae Least Concern

20. Rattus turkestanicus Turkestan Rat Muridae Least Concern

21. Mus musculus House Mouse Muridae Least Concern

22. Cricetulus migratorius Grey Hamster Cricetidae Least Concern

23. Alticola roylei Royle's Mountain Vole Cricetidae Near Threatened


Exhibit C.2: Bird Species reported from Study AreaNo Scientific Name Common Name Family IUCN Status

1. Lerwa lerwa Snow Patridge Phasaenidae Least Concern

2. Alectoris chukar Chukar Phasaenidae Least Concern

3. Coturnix coturnix Common Quail Phasaenidae Least Concern

4. Jynx torquilla Eurasian Wryneck Picidae Least Concern

5. Dendrocopos himalayensis Himalyan Woodpecker Picidae Least Concern

6. Picus squamatus Scaly Billed Woodpecker Picidae Least Concern

7. Upupa epops Common Hoopoe Upupidae Least Concern

8. Coracias garrulus European Roller Coraciidae Near Threatened

9. Alcedo atthis Common Kingfisher Coraciidae Least Concern

10. Merops persicus Blue Cheeked Bee Eater Meropidae Least Concern

11. Merops apiaster European Bee Eater Meropidae Least Concern

12. Cuculus canorus Eurasian Cuckoo Meropidae Least Concern

13. Apus apus Common Swift Meropidae Least Concern

14. Apus affinis House Swift Meropidae Least Concern

15. Otus brucei Pallid Scops Owl Strigidae Least Concern

16. Otus scops Eurasian Scops Owl Strigidae Least Concern

17. Bubo bubo Eurasian Eagle Owl Strigidae Least Concern

18. Caprimulgus europaeus Eurasian Nightjar Strigidae Least Concern

19. Columba livia Rock Pigeon Columbidae Least Concern

20. Columba rupestris Hill Pigeon Columbidae Least Concern

21. Streptopelia turtur European Turtle Dove Columbidae Least Concern

22. Milvus migrans Black Kite Accipitridae Least Concern

23. Gyps himalayensis Himalyan Griffon Accipitridae Least Concern

24. Accipier nisus Eurasian Sparrow Hawk Accipitridae Least Concern

25. Aquila chrysaetos Golden Eagle Accipitridae Least Concern

26. Falco tinnunculus Common Kestrel Falconidae Least Concern

27. Lanius collurio Red Backed Shrike Laniidae Least Concern

28. Lanius isabellinus Rufous Tailed Shrike Laniidae Least Concern

29. Lanius schach Long Tailed Shrike Laniidae Least Concern

30. Lanius meridionalis Southern Grey Shrike Laniidae Least Concern

31. Pica pica Black Billed Magpie Corvidae Least Concern

32. Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax Red Billed Chough Corvidae Least Concern

33. Pyrrhocorax graculus Yellow Billed Chough Corvidae Least Concern

34. Corvus monedula Eurasian Jackdaw Corvidae Least Concern

35. Corvus macrorhynchos Large Billed Crow Corvidae Least Concern


No Scientific Name Common Name Family IUCN Status

36. Corvus corax Common Raven Corvidae Least Concern

37. Oriolus oriolus Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolidae Least Concern

38. Pericrocotus ethologus Long Tailed Minivet Campephagidae Least Concern

39. Terpsiphone paradisi Asian Paradise Flycatcher Monarchidae Least Concern

40. Cinclus cinclus White Throated Dipper Cinclidae Least Concern

41. Cinclus pallasii Brown Dipper Cinclidae Least Concern

42. Monticola saxatilis Rufous Tailed Rock Thrush Muscicapidae Least Concern

43. Monticola cinclorhynchus Blue Caped Rock Thrush Muscicapidae Least Concern

44. Monticola solitarius Blue Rock Thrush Muscicapidae Least Concern

45. Ficedula superciliaris Ultramarin Flycatcher Muscicapidae Least Concern

46. Luscinia pectoralis White Tailed Ruby Throat Muscicapidae Least Concern

47. Luscinia brunnea Indian Blue Robin Muscicapidae Least Concern

48. Phoenicurus phoenicurus Common Redstart Muscicapidae Least Concern

49. Chaimarrornis leucocephalus White Caped Water Redstart Muscicapidae Least Concern

50. Rhyacornis fuliginosa Plumbeous Water Redstart Muscicapidae Least Concern

51. Hodgsonius phoenicuroides White Billed Redstart Muscicapidae Least Concern

52. Enicurus scouleri Little Forktail Muscicapidae Least Concern

53. Saxicola torquatus Common Stone Chat Muscicapidae Least Concern

54. Saxicola caprata Pied Bushchat Muscicapidae Least Concern

55. Oenanthe albonigra Hume’s Wheatear Muscicapidae Least Concern

56. Oenanthe oenanthe Northern Wheatear Muscicapidae Least Concern

57. Oenanthe picata Variable Wheatear Muscicapidae Least Concern

58. Oenanthe pleschanka Pied Wheatear Muscicapidae Least Concern

59. Oenanthe xanthoprymna Rufous Tailed Wheatear Muscicapidae Least Concern

60. Oenanthe isabellina Isabelline Wheatear Muscicapidae Least Concern

61. Acridotheres tristis Common Myna Sturnidae Least Concern

62. Myophonus caeruleus Blue Whistling Thrush Turdidae Least Concern

63. Turdus merula Eurasian Black Bird Turdidae Least Concern

64. Turdus rubrocanus Chestnut Thrush Turdidae Least Concern

65. Turdus ruficollis Dark Throated Thrush Turdidae Least Concern

66. Sitta leucopsis White Cheeked Nuthatch Sittidae Least Concern

67. Tichodroma muraria Wallcreeper Sittidae Least Concern

68. Certhia familiaris Eurasian Tree Creeper Certhiidae Least Concern

69. Certhia himalayana Bar tailed Tree Creeper Certhiidae Least Concern

70. Troglodytes hiemalis Winter Wren Certhiidae Least Concern



71. Cephalopyrus flammiceps Fire Caped Tit Remizidae Least Concern

72. Periparus rufonuchalis Rufous Naped Tit Paridae Least Concern

73. Parus melanolophus Spot Winged Tit Paridae Least Concern

74. Parus major Great Tit Paridae Least Concern

75. Aegithalos leucogenys White Cheeked Tit Aegithalidae Least Concern

76. Leptopoecile sophiae White Browed Tit Warbler Aegithalidae Least Concern

77. Riparia diluta Pale Martin Hirundinidae Least Concern

78. Ptyonoprogne rupestris Eurasian Crag Martin Hirundinidae Least Concern

79. Delichon urbicum Northern House Martin Hirundinidae Least Concern

80. Delichon dasypus Asian House Martin Hirundinidae Least Concern

81. Sylvia communis Greater White Throat Sylviidae Least Concern

82. Sylvia curruca Lesser White Throat Sylviidae Least Concern

83. Acrocephalus concinens Blunt Winged Warbler Sylviidae Least Concern

84. Acrocephalus dometorum Blyth’s Reed Warbler Sylviidae Least Concern

85. Phylloscopus collybita Common Chiffchaff Sylviidae Least Concern

86. Phylloscopus sindianus Mountain Chiffchaff Sylviidae Least Concern

87. Phylloscopus affinis Tickel’s Leaf Warbler Sylviidae Least Concern

88. Acrocephalus orinus Large Billed Warbler Sylviidae Least Concern

89. Garrulax lineatus Streaked Laughing Thrush Timaliidae Least Concern

90. Garrulax variegatus Variegated Laughing Thrush Timaliidae Least Concern

91. Melanocorypha bimaculata Bimaculated Lark Alaudidae Least Concern

92. Calandrella brachydactyla Greater Short Toad Lark Alaudidae Least Concern

93. Alauda arvensis Eurasian Skylark Alaudidae Least Concern

94. Alauda gulgula Oriental Skylark Alaudidae Least Concern

95. Passer domesticus House Sparrow Passeridae Least Concern

96. Petronia petronia Rock Sparrow Passeridae Least Concern

97. Motacilla alba White Wagtail Motacillidae Least Concern

98. Motacilla citreola Citrine Wagtail Motacillidae Least Concern

99. Motacilla flava Yellow Wagtail Motacillidae Least Concern

100. Motacilla cinerea Grey Wagtail Motacillidae Least Concern

101. Anthus trivialis Tree Pipit Motacillidae Least Concern

102. Anthus roseatus Rosy Pipit Motacillidae Least Concern

103. Anthus cervinus Red Throated Pipit Motacillidae Least Concern

104. Anthus spinoletta Water Pipit Motacillidae Least Concern

105. Prunella collaris Alpine Accentor Prunellidae Least Concern



106. Prunella rubeculoides Robin Accentor Prunellidae Least Concern

107. Leucosticte nemoricola Plain Mountain Finch Fringillidae Least Concern

108. Leucosticte brandti Brandt’s Mountain Finch Fringillidae Least Concern

109. Fringilla coelebs Chaff Finch Fringillidae Least Concern

110. Carduelis flavirostris Twite Fringillidae Least Concern

111. Rhodopechys sanguinea Crimson Winged Finch Fringillidae Least Concern

112. Rhodopechys githaginea Trumpeter Finch Fringillidae Least Concern

113. Rhodopechys mongolicus Mongolian Finch Fringillidae Least Concern

114. Carpodacus erythrinus Common Rose Finch Fringillidae Least Concern

115. Carpodacus thura White Browed Finch Fringillidae Least Concern

116. Carpodacus rhodochlamys Red Mantled Rose Finch Fringillidae Least Concern

117. Carpodacus rubicilla Great Rose Finch Fringillidae Least Concern

118. Emberiza leucocephalos Pine Bunting Emberizidae Least Concern

119. Emberiza cia Rock Bunting Emberizidae Least Concern

120. Emberiza buchanani Grey Necked Bunting Emberizidae Least Concern

121. Emberiza stewarti White Caped Bunting Emberizidae Least Concern

122. Rallus aquaticus Water Rail Rallidae Least Concern

123. Porzana parva Little Crake Rallidae Least Concern

124. Porzana pusilla Baillon’s Crake Rallidae Least Concern

125. Gallinago solitaria Solitary Snipe Scolopacidae Least Concern

126. Gallinago gallinago Common Snipe Scolopacidae Least Concern

127. Numenius arquata Eurasian Curlew Scolopacidae Least Concern

128. Tringa erythropus Spotted Redshank Scolopacidae Least Concern

129. Tringa totanus Common Redshank Scolopacidae Least Concern

130. Tringa ochropus Green Sandpiper Scolopacidae Least Concern

131. Tringa glareola Wood Sandpiper Scolopacidae Least Concern

132. Actitis hypoleucos Common Sandpiper Scolopacidae Least Concern

133. Tachybaptus ruficollis Little Greb Podicipedidae Least Concern

134. Ardea cinerea Grey Heron Ardeidae Least Concern

135. Nycticorax nycticorax Black Crowned Night Heron Ardeidae Least Concern


Exhibit C.3: Herpeto-fauna reported from Study AreaNo Species Common Name Family IUCN Status Endemism

Reptiles

1 Altiphylax stoliczkai Baltistan Gecko Gekkonidae Not Assessed Endemic

2 Cyrtodactylus baturensis Batura Bent-toed Gecko Gekkonidae Not Assessed Endemic

3 Laudakia himalayensis Himalayan Agama Agamidae Not Assessed Endemic

4 Laudakia pakistania Pakistan Agama Agamidae Not Assessed Endemic

5 Laudakia tuberculata Blue Rock Agama Agamidae Not Assessed Not Endemic

6 Laudakia badakhshana Badakhshan Rock Agama Agamidae Not Assessed Not Endemic

7 Laudaki pakistanica khani Khan’s Rock Agama Agamidae Not Assessed Endemic

8 Varanus bengalensis Bengal Monitor Varanidae Least Concern Not Endemic

Amphibians

1 Bufo pseudoraddei baturae Batura Toad Bufonidae Not assessed Endemic

2 Bufo lastastii Ladakh Toad Bufonidae Not assessed Not endemic

Exhibit C.4: Fish species reported from the Study AreaNo Scientific Name Common Name Family/Sub family Status/ Distribution

1 Oncorhynchus mykiss Rainbow Trout Salmonidae Exotic

2 Salmo trutta Brown Trout Salmonidae Exotic

3 Racoma labiata Kunar Snow Trout Cyprinidae/ Schizothoracinae Wide

4 Schizothorax plagiostomus Himalayan Snow Trout Cyprinidae/ Schizothoracinae Wide

5 Triplophysa choprai Chitral Loach Balitoridae/ Nemacheilinae Endemic to Pakistan

6 Triplophysa microps Leh Triplophysa Loach Balitoridae/ Nemacheilinae Endemic to Indus drainage

7 Triplophysa yasinensis Yasin Triplophysa Loach Balitoridae/ Nemacheilinae Endemic to GB

8 Glyptosternum reticulatum Turkestan Catfish Sisoridae Wide


Exhibit C.5: Vegetation Species reported from the Study AreaNo Common Name Local Name Urdu Name Scientific Name

A–Trees

1. Willow Chitee Biyoo Baid Salix alba

3. Blue Pine Cheer Kail Pinus wallichiana

4. Pencil Cedar Chilee Sanobar Juniprus macropoda

5. Spruce Kachul – Picea simithiana

6. Ash Kasonar – Fraxinus xanthoxyloides

7. Poplar Species Falchoo Safida Populus nigra & alba

8. Walnut Ashuo Akhrot Juglans regia

9. Russian Olive Gonaer Ber Elaeagnus angustifolea

10. Mulberry Marooch Toot Morus Alba & nigra

11. Nettle Tree Buyoo – Celtis tralis

12. Fir Rai Partal Abies pindrow

13. Deodar Diar Deodar Cedrus deodara

15. Chinar Boch Chinar Platanus orientalis

16. Quercus Bani Oak Quercus ilex

17. Russian Olive Gonaer Ber Elaegnus angustfolea

18. Fig Faak Ingeer Ficus religiosa

B–Fruit trees

1. Apricot Joiee/joo Khubani Prunus armeniaca

2. Cherry Glass Cherry Prunus spp.

3. Peach Choknarr Arddo Pyrus persica

4. Apple Phlaa/baalt Seab Pyrus malus

5. Plum Gildaro Aloobokhara Prunus domestica

6. Pear Shugree Nashpati Pyrus communis

7. Mulberry Maroach/Biranch Toot Morus alba

8. Walnut Ashuo/Kakhayo Akhrote Juglans regia

C–Shrubs

1. Juniper Berries Matharee – Juniperus communis

2. Seabuckthorn Borue Sibukthon Hippophae rhamnoides

3. Goose Berry Shomuloo – Ribes alpestres

4 Berberry Ishkeen – Bereberis lycium

5 Tamarix Hapackhokaoo – Maricaria gemanica

6 – Byar – Podophyllium species

7 Tamarix Hookro – Tamarix gallica

8 Wild Rose Shingie Ispand Rosa webbiana


No Common Name Local Name Urdu Name Botanical Name

D–Herbs

1. Trifolium Shaptal Shaftal Trifolium repens

2. Dandelion Ishkinache - Taraxacum officinale

3. Wild Thyme Tumoroo - Thymus serphyllum

4. Berginia Suspur - Berginia stracheyi

5. Mullein Jangli Tamakoo - Verbescum thapsus

6. Wild Strawberry Jangle Mawa - Fragaria vesca

7. Ephedra Soom - Epherdra intermedia

8. Artemisia Zhoon - Artemisia maritime

9. Cumin Seed Kamsal Zeera - Cumium cyminum


Appendix D: Institutional Analysis and Stakeholder Mapping

This section identifies all the institutions andstakeholders relevant to the development of thePlan in particular and of the city in general.Stakeholders include government departments,NGOs and civil society organizations. The level ofinfluence and interest of different stakeholders isassessed and recommendations are provided onthe mode and manner of engaging them in theMaster Plan development process.

D.1 Administrative History of Gilgit-BaltistanGilgit was an important location on the Silk Routeand saw the spread of Buddhism from South Asiato the rest of the continent. For centuries it wasruled by various rulers from different dynastiesuntil the Gilgit Agency (GA) was formed by theBritish in 18771 GA acted as a political unit ofBritish India and administered the northern half ofthe princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.

After the partition of the sub-continent in 1947,the name Gilgit Agency was adopted by Pakistanand eventually changed in 1970 when all theterritories of present-day GB were renamed theNorthern Areas (NA)2 GA was administered fromIslamabad, the federal capital of Pakistan,separately from the neighboring state of AzadKashmir and the princely states of Hunza andNagar. It bordered the Sinkiang region of China tothe northeast, the Indian state of Jammu andKashmir to the south, Baltistan to the east andNorth West Frontier Province3 to the west.

Initially, GA was not absorbed into any of theprovinces of Pakistan, but was ruled directly bypolitical agents of the GoP. In 1963, Pakistanentered into a treaty with China to transfer part ofthe GA to China, the Trans-Karakoram Tract, withthe proviso that the settlement was subject to thefinal solution of the Kashmir dispute.4 Pakistan

and India continue to dispute the sovereignty ofthe territories that had comprised the GA.On 29 August 2009, the Gilgit BaltistanEmpowerment and Self-Governance Order 2009was passed by the Pakistani cabinet and latersigned by the then president of Pakistan, PervezMusharraf.5 The order granted self-rule to thepeople of the former NA, now called GB, bycreating, among other things, an electedlegislative assembly.

D.2 Regulatory and Policy Framework for TownPlanning in GilgitGB is administratively controlled by Pakistan andgranted self-governance through the GilgitBaltistan (Empowerment and Self-Governance)Order, 2009 passed by the Pakistan cabinet onAugust 29, 2009 and later signed by the Presidentof Pakistan. The order granted self-rule to thepeople of GB by creating, among other things, anelected GB Legislative Assembly and GB Council.

D.2.1 Hierarchy of Legal InstrumentsGB is governed by a combination of legalinstruments including common law dating back tothe British colonial administration of India; federaland provincial Pakistani statutes that have beenextended to GB and legislation framed specificallyfor the province.

The hierarchy of laws in force is as follows: l Selected provisions of the Constitution of the

Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1973;

l Acts passed or adapted by the GB Council;

l Ordinances promulgated by the Presidentextended to the GB or the Governor of GB;

1. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, UN-Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.2. Ibid.3. The North West Frontier Province (NWFP) has now been renamed as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK).4. Karrar and Iqbal, 2011, Gilgit Report, UN-Habitat & Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.5. Ibid.


l Rules, regulations and orders issued by theNational Assembly, or by federal ministries ordepartments extended to GB, GBdepartments, or framed by the Ministry ofKashmir Affairs and GB (KA&GB) specificallyfor the GB.

Constitution of the Islamic Republic ofPakistan 1973According to the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan,GB is a part of the Federal Republic as a statewhich by ‘accession or otherwise’ is included inPakistan.6 Pakistan has acted as sovereign in GB,exercising an effective and continuous display ofstate authority generally recognized underinternational law (please see Section 2.1 foradministrative history of GB).

Legislative ActsThe Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA)and Gilgit Baltistan Council (GBC) establishedunder the Gilgit Baltistan (Empowerment and SelfGovernance) Order, 2009 have powers to makelaws. The GBC has exclusive powers to makelaws with respect to any matter that is included inthe Council Legislative List whereas the Assemblyhas powers to make laws included in theAssembly Legislative List.7 The GBC also haspowers to adopt any amendment in the existingLaws or any new Law in force in Pakistan. For allmatters not included in the Council or AssemblyLegislative lists, the power to make laws lies withGoP.8

OrdinancesOrdinances are promulgated by the executivebranch of the government; by the President whenthe National Assembly is not in session or by theGovernor when a provincial assembly is not in

session. Ordinances deal with matters not alreadycovered by federal or provincial law and aregenerally promulgated when it is considerednecessary to take immediate action. ThePresident and provincial governors are awardedbroad powers to assess such urgency.Ordinances have the same force and effect as anAct, but remain in force for a limited period oftime: (four months in the case of Gilgit BaltistanGovernors’ ordinances as specified in the GilgitBaltistan (Empowerment and Self Governance)Order, 2009). During this period, the President orprovincial Governor may withdraw an ordinance,or it may be disapproved or modified by therelevant assembly. An ordinance lapses if therelevant assembly fails to adopt it within thespecified period.9

OrdersOrders are issued by either the legislative orexecutive branch of government, in exercise ofpowers delegated under a statute. The status ofan order depends on the delegated power underwhich it is issued. An order may deal with a broadrange of substantive issues, as in the case of theNACLFO, or with a specific and limited situationas in the case of environmental protection ordersthat may be issued under the PakistanEnvironmental Protection Act (PEPA) 1997,extended to the GB by the EnvironmentalProtection (Adaptation and Enforcement) Order(EPO) 2002. Executive orders are issued by thegovernment as a matter of administration, whilestatutory orders are issued by governmentdepartments in pursuance of acts andordinances, prescribing their promulgation.Administrative orders are issued by anadministrative authority in exercise of a delegatedpower to administer a particular issue.10

6. Article 1 (2) states that the territories of Pakistan shall comprise:-(a) the Provinces of Balochistan, the Khyber Pakthunkhwa, the Punjab and Sindh;(b) the Islamabad Capital Territory, hereinafter referred to as the Federal Capital;(c) Federally Administered Tribal Areas; and(d) such States and territories as are or may be included in Pakistan, whether by accession or otherwise.

7. The Gilgit Baltistan (Empowerment and Self Governance) Order, 20098. Environmental Law in Pakistan, Governing Natural Resources and the Processes and Institutions that Affect them: Northern Areas, Volume 1

(Description and Analysis), Part 6, IUCN. http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/pk_elaw_na_review_vol1.pdf (Date Accessed: October 25, 2013)9. Ibid10. Ibid


Rules and RegulationsRules and regulations are issued by the executivebranch of government but are not independentlegal instruments. Rather, they are framed underthe authority conferred by an act or ordinance,and lay down working details for the enforcementand implementation of that particular legalinstrument. Rules are the principles to which anaction or procedure is intended to conform andare always framed in the exercise of powersdelegated under a statute. Examples of statutoryrules include the Gilgit Baltistan Rules of Business2009, Gilgit Baltistan System of Financial Controland Budgeting Rules, 2009, and rules madeunder PEPA, which are automatically extended tothe GB region by the EPO.11

Regulations, meanwhile, provide for specificmeasures that may be required to put into effect alaw or ordinance. Regulations are also theinstruments that federal and provincialgovernments use to govern the FederallyAdministered and Provincially Administered TribalAreas, respectively.

NotificationsRules, regulations or orders issued pursuant to aparticular law must be officially notified in thefederal or provincial gazette. Notifications are nota separate class of legal instruments but ratherserve as mechanism by which the executivebranch of government promulgates rules andregulations. In certain cases, notifications alsoserve as a means to communicate official actionstaken to accomplish a particular and limitedpurpose, such as designating a protected area.12

D.2.2 Legal InstrumentsLaws relevant to the master planning of Gilgit cityare summarized below.

EnvironmentSince the promulgation of the 18th Amendment tothe Constitution, responsibility for thedevelopment and implementation of

environmental laws has been devolved to theProvinces. Each Province is currently draftingenvironmental assessment laws and regulations,based on “templates” developed by NIAP. In themeantime, GB still regulates environmental issuesaccording to the Pakistan EnvironmentalProtection Act 1997.

The Environmental Protection (Adaptation andEnforcement) Order (EPO) 2002 (KANA Order No.F.No. 10(S), 2002-NA.II dated 21 August 2002)extends the application of the PakistanEnvironmental Protection Act (PEPA) 1997 to thewhole of GB. Section 2 of the EPO states that allrules, regulations and orders issued under PEPAare also to apply to GB.

The PEPA provides for regulating developmentactivities by two types of environmentalassessments: Initial Environmental Examination(IEE) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).EIAs are carried out for projects that have apotentially ‘significant’ environmental impact, andIEEs are conducted for relatively smaller projectswith a relatively less significant impact. The term‘EIA’ is defined in PEPA as “an environmentalstudy comprising collecting data, prediction ofqualitative and quantitative impacts, comparisonof alternatives, evaluation of preventive, mitigatoryand compensatory measures, formulation ofenvironmental management and training plansand monitoring arrangements, and framing ofrecommendations and such other components asbe prescribed”.

Section 12(1) of PEPA requires that: “Noproponent of a project shall commenceconstruction or operation unless he has filed withthe Federal Agency an initial environmentalexamination (IEE) or, where the project is likely tocause an adverse environmental effect, anenvironmental impact assessment (EIA), and hasobtained from the Provincial Agency approval inrespect thereof.” The Pakistan EPA hasdelegated the power of review and approval of

11. Ibid12. Environmental Law in Pakistan, Governing Natural Resources and the Processes and Institutions that Affect them: Northern Areas, Volume 1

(Description and Analysis), Part 6, IUCN. http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/pk_elaw_na_review_vol1.pdf (Date Accessed: October 25, 2013)

IEEs and EIAs to the provincial EPAs. The GilgitBaltistan Environmental Protection Agency (GB-EPA) is responsible for the approval of the EIA andIEE of new developments undertaken in GB.

The Gilgit Baltistan Environmental ProtectionAgency, after review, may approve or require theEIA to be re-submitted after modifications asprescribed by the Agency, or may refuse theproject as being contrary to the environmentalobjectives. Section 12(3) states that every reviewof an environmental impact assessment shall becarried out with public participation. PEPArequires the Agency to communicate its decisionwithin a period of four months from the date theEIA has been filed for review [Section 12(4)].

The Review of the Initial EnvironmentalExamination and Environmental ImpactAssessment Regulations 2000 provide thenecessary details on the preparation, submission,and review of initial environmental examinationsand environmental impact assessments. TheRegulations categorize projects for IEE and EIA.Schedules I and II, attached to the Regulations listthe projects that require IEE and EIA, respectively.

Forests and Wildlife13

l Throughout most of Pakistan, themanagement of forests and wasteland is theresponsibility of the state. This, however, isnot the case in the GB where over threequarters of the forest area is guzara land(wasteland, or land used for subsistence)owned by communities and managed undergovernment supervision. The fragileecosystem of the Gilgit Baltistan provides arich habitat for a number of indigenous andmigratory species. Under the Gilgit BaltistanRules of Business, 2009 the management,conservation, regulation and use of forest andwildlife resources is the responsibility of theForest, Wildlife and Environment Departmentheaded by a secretary. Laws regulatingmatters related to the forests and wildlife ofGilgit Baltistan are summarized below.

l Forest Act 1927 – Various notifications issuedover a period spanning several decades haveextended the Forest Act 1927 to differentparts of Gilgit Baltistan, however by 1991, theForest Act had been extended to all parts(Office Memorandum No. LA-COMM-9(7)/91dated 14 May 1991, item 54). There is nosingle legal instrument that extends theForest Act 1927 to the entire Gilgit Baltistanregion. The Forest Act 1927 is designed toprotect forest areas and regulate forestproduce. The Forest Act provides for thecreation of various classes of forest andallows provincial governments to “reserve”state-owned forest land, assume control ofprivately owned forest land, and declare anygovernment-owned forest land to be aprotected area. The law prohibits grazing,hunting, quarrying, clearing for the purpose ofcultivation, removing forest produce, andfelling or lopping trees and branches inreserved or protected areas.

l Forest Act Amendment Order 1993 (KANAOrder No. 26(8)/92- NA-I and LA-COMM-9(7)/92 dated 25 February 1993)a – ThisAmendment Order makes a number ofprocedural changes to the Forest Act 1927. Itawards divisional forest officers and higherforest officials the powers of a magistrate(Section 2(a)). The 1993 Order also amendsSections 26, 33 and 42 of the 1927 Act,increasing punishments for forest offences.

l Northern Areas Forest Rules 1983 (KANANotification No. D- 5(4)/81-VII dated 9 May1983) – The Northern Areas Forest Rules1983 apply to protected forests in Astore,Baltistan (Skardu and Ghanche) and Gilgit,regulating matters such as cutting trees,removing timber and forest produce, andclearing for cultivation.

l Northern Areas Cattle Trespass Act 1976(Notification No. LA-RESNTF- 9(1)/76 dated20 September 1976) - aims to control


13. Environmental Law in Pakistan, Governing Natural Resources and the Processes and Institutions that Affect them: Northern Areas, Volume 1(Description and Analysis), Part 6, IUCN. http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/pk_elaw_na_review_vol1.pdf (Date Accessed: October 25, 2013)


damage caused to land and facilities in bothurban and rural environments. In rural areas,natural vegetation and cultivated land areprotected from being damaged by grazing.The Act consolidates and amends the lawrelating to cattle trespass, providingprotection against damage to private andpublic property, including privately cultivatedland, plantations, drainage works, publicroads and pleasure grounds.

l Northern Areas Wildlife Preservation Act 1975– provides for the establishment of nationalparks, wildlife reserves and wildlifesanctuaries; the constitution of a NorthernAreas Wildlife Board; and the issuing ofhunting licenses and certificates of lawfulpossession. It regulates hunting, prohibits theuse of inhumane methods and imposescertain other limitations, such as time of day,season and area in which hunting ispermitted.

Fisheries14

Laws regulating the fisheries sector in the GilgitBaltistan region deal with many issues related tothe management and use of fish resources,particularly trout species which abound in theregion and are amongst its most prized resources.These include: l Northern Areas Fisheries Act 1975

(Notification No. REGHC.NTF-5/75 datedApril 1975) – provides for the managementand protection of some of the richestfisheries resources in the country. It aims tocontrol indiscriminate exploitation andintroduces a regulatory mechanism.

l Northern Areas Fisheries Rules 1975(Notification No. REG-HC.NTF.6/75 dated 4April 1975) – Issued under Section 23 of theNorthern Areas Fisheries Act 1975, theNorthern Areas Fisheries Rules 1975 dealwith licenses, fishing gear and methods that

may be used, as well as the size of fish thatmay be caught, and lists waters in whichfishing is permitted. Erecting fixed engines,constructing weirs or dams and divertingwater is prohibited.

FreshwaterCanal and Drainage Act 1873 – regulates mattersrelated to irrigation, navigation and drainage, andwas extended to GB. This Federal Act operatesas a provincial law. All powers under the Act,including the power to make rules, have beendelegated to the provinces. In the case of theNorthern Areas, this authority is exercised by theChief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and ChiefSecretary. The law entitles the provincialgovernment to use and control water from allrivers and streams flowing in natural channels,and from all lakes and other natural bodies of stillwater. The provincial government may prohibitobstructions and order their removal if theyappear to be causing injury to land, public healthor public convenience.

Land TenureLegal instruments governing property rights in theGB include the Gilgit and Baltistan Right of PriorPurchase Act 1938, North-West Frontier ProvinceTenancy Act 1950 and Northern Areas Allotmentof Government Land Rules 1975, as well as thePunjab Settlement Manual and Punjab LandRecord Manual which are updated annually. LandAcquisition Act 1894 provides for the acquisitionof land needed for public purposes and forCompanies, and determines the amount ofcompensation to be made on account of suchacquisition.15

Other laws enacted in GB are summarized below.




Urban and Rural Development

Northern Areas Town Area Committees Building Bylaws 1979 (Notification no. LA/Res-9(1)/79 dated

25 June 1979

Extractive and Non- Extractive Industry

Northern Areas Concession Rules 2003

Factories Act 1934 Adaptation of Laws Order 1981 (KANA Order no. NA-9 (2)/81 dated 10 December 1981)

Taxation

Northern Areas Council Legal Framework Order 1994 (KANA Order no.12 (34)/93-NA-1 dated 12 June 1994)

Transport

Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965 (Cited in KANA Order no.NA-4(1 )/80 dated 19 May 1982)

Tourism

Northern Areas Hotels and Restaurant Rules 1982 (KANA Notification No.G-14(100)/ 77 dated 4 July 1982)

Pakistan Hotels and Restaurant Act 1976

D.3 Institutions Involved in Master Planning inGilgitThis section identifies the institutions that arecurrently involved, or may be involved in thefuture, in the development and implementation ofthe Plan. The identification of these institutionsbased on their current and future involvement withthe plan is discussed in detail in Section 4.3.

D.3.1 Gilgit Development AuthorityGDA has been established under Section 4 of theGilgit Baltistan Development of Cities Act, 2012.The Act provides for the following:l Establishment of a comprehensive system of

planning and development in order toimprove the quality of life of the cities in GB;

l Establishment of an integrated developmentapproach and a continuing process ofplanning and development to ensureoptimum utilization of resources,

l Economical and effective utilization of landand to evolve policies and programmesrelating to improvement of the environment ofhousing,

l Industrial and trade development, traffic,transportation, health, education, watersupply, sewerage, drainage, solid wastedisposal and related matters.

GDA is be headed by a chairman and will consistof members. Following are the powers andfunctions of the GDA as prescribed by theDevelopment of Cities Act, 2012:l Initiate and maintain a continuous process of

comprehensive development and planning forGilgit with the objective of preparing adevelopment plan;

l Periodically update such development planand coordinate its implementation by theAuthority or government Agencies withinGilgit;

l Develop operate and maintain water supply,sewerage and drainage system within Gilgit;

l Prepare Annual Development Programme forGilgit, ensure compliance of the AnnualDevelopment Programme with prioritiesestablished in the development plan after its


preparation and evaluate performance underthe Annual Development Programme at theend of each year;

l Establish, maintain and periodically revise asnecessary, planning controls and buildingregulations for the area;

l Provide appropriate urban design and protecturban safety;

l Ensure compliance with development planafter its preparation;

l Prepare, implement and enforce schemes forenvironmental, improvements, housing, urbanrenewal including slums improvement and re-development, solid waste disposal,transportation and traffic, health andeducation facilities, and preservation ofobjects or places of historical, archaeological,scientific, cultural and recreationalimportance;

l Take any steps or adopt any measures for theface lifting beautification of the area;

l Acquire property, both movable andimmovable;

l Sell, lease, exchange or otherwise dispose ofany property vested in it;

l Undertake any works and incur anyexpenditure;

l Procure machinery instruments or any othermaterial required by it;

l Enter into contracts;

l Case studies, surveys, experiments, technicalresearches or contribute towards the cost ofany such studies, surveys, experiments ortechnical researches made by any otherAgency;

l Issue interim development orders for the areafor which a scheme is under preparation and

restrict or regulate by general or specialorder, any change in the use of land andalteration in building structure andinstallation;

l Seek and obtain advice and assistance forthe preparation of any scheme, or for theexecution of any scheme from theGovernment agency or person and suchagency or person shall give the advice andassistance sought by the Authority to thebest of its ability, knowledge and judgmentand the additional expenditure, if any,involved in giving such advice or assistanceshall be borne by the Authority; and

l Establish an agency/agencies and entrust toit such powers and functions as it may deemfit with the approval of the Government

It is clearly stated in the Development Cities Act,2012 that GDA shall prepare the master plan andphased master programmes for the developmentof any part or whole of the specified area of GilgitDistrict and all such plans and programmesprepared from time to time shall be submitted tothe Government for approval. GDA may issueinterim development orders for areas for whichmaster plan is being contemplated or underpreparation and restrict or prohibit by general orspecial order any change in the use of land andalteration in buildings, structures and installation.

D.3.2 Gilgit Baltistan Environmental ProtectionAgency Environmental Protection Agency Gilgit Baltistan(EPA-GB) is primarily responsible foradministering the provisions of the PakistanEnvironmental Protection Act 1997 in GilgitBaltistan. The EPA-GB reports to Forest, Wildlifeand Environment Department. EPA-GB serves asGB’s environmental policy-making and regulatoryinstitution. Its role is to regulate, coordinate,monitor and enforce environmental laws in theregion. The agency is expected to play a majorrole in environmental protection, as well as to bethe central point in dealing with the managementof GB’s environment so that it benefits all the


citizens of region. The functions andresponsibilities of the EPA-GB include thefollowing: l Enforcement of Pakistan Environmental

Protection Act (PEPA) 1997;

l Enforcement of National EnvironmentalQuality Standards (NEQS);

l Implementation of Self Monitoring &Reporting Tool (SMART);

l Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA);

l Advising and coordinating with thegovernment, NGOs, etc. on preventivemeasures for abatement of pollution;

l Assisting local authorities and governmentdepartments to implement schemes forproper disposal of wastes to ensurecompliance with NEQS;

l Enhancing awareness among the generalpublic;

l Conducting research and studies on differentenvironmental issues;

l Attending to public complaints onenvironmental issues; and,

l Carrying out any other task related toenvironment assigned by the government.

D.3.3 Planning and Development Department(P&DD)P&DD is the principle institution responsible forapproving various kind of development projects ofall line departments. The functions of the P&DDhave been described in the Gilgit Baltistan Rulesof Business, 2009 which include:l Preparing the annual development

programme in coordination with alldepartments of the government.

l Monitoring the utilization of ADP funds.

l Approval of development schemes.

l Coordination training in economicdevelopment for all officers serving with theGilgit Baltistan Government.

l Preparing five years and other provincialdevelopment plans.

l Service matters except those entrusted toServices and General Administration,Information and Cabinet Department.

D.3.4 Forest, Wildlife and EnvironmentDepartmentThe Forest, Wildlife and Environment Departmentis responsible for:l Scientific Management of existing public

forest estates to maximize production ofwood minor forest produce and to create newforest resources.

l Promotion of social/farm forestry on privatelands.

l Establishment of amenity forests andrecreational parks.

l Tree plantations for strategic purposes inconsultation with the National Sub-Committee on Defense Planting.

l Education of the public for tree planting andprovision of technical and advisory serviceson matters of afforestation to the people andother Government Department.

l Regional research in various disciplines offorestry, wildlife, sericulture and fisheries.

l Implementation of various provisions ofForest Act and rules framed thereunder.

l Service matters except those entrusted to S&GAD Department.

l Management of Zoological gardens andpromotion of wildlife.


l Prevention of poachers.

l Protection of wildlife by involving communityorganizations.

l Provision of facilities for trophy hunting in thecommunity protected areas.

l Administration of laws relating toenvironmental protection.

l Preparation of environmental policy.

l Coordinate environmental policies andprogramme nationally.

l Provide information and education to thepublic on environmental matters.

l Identify the needs for legislation in theenvironmental field.

D.3.5 Works DepartmentThe Works Department is mainly involved inconstruction of roads, buildings, construction ofpower supply stations (hydro power, thermal), fortowns and rural areas. Functions of theDepartment are described below.l Planning, Designing, Construction,

Equipment, Maintenance and repairs of allGovernment Buildings, Residential and Non-Residential including Rest Houses, CircuitHouses.

l Evaluation, Fixation of Rent, Control,Management.

l Laying standards of specifications for varioustypes of roads and bridges.

l Planning and designing roads and connectedworks for the department.

l Construction, maintenance, repairs andimprovement of roads, bridges and culverts.

l Service matters except those entrusted toS&GAD Department.

l Purchase of stores and capital goods for thedepartment.

l Development of integrated communicationnetwork for GB.

D.3.6 Local Bodies and Rural Development andCensus DepartmentThis department is the main player in ruraldevelopment and its main areas of interventionsinclude construction of schools, link-roads,irrigation channels, water storage tanks andprovision of water supply and sanitation facilitiesto rural communities of GB. The department isresponsible for:l Matters relating to:

- Local Councils.- Establishment and budget of local councils

except grant-in-aid for hospitals and dispensaries.

- Directorate of Local Government and RuralDevelopment and their subordinate offices.

- Local taxation and local rates.

l Registration of births, deaths and marriagesby local councils.

l Development funds and developmentschemes pertaining to local councils.

l Grant in aid for local councils.

l All matters relating to local council services.

l Coordination of Census work.

l Rural Development Councils and RuralDevelopment Programme.


l Service matter except those entrusted to theservice, General Administration andInformation Department.


D.3.7 Revenue, Usher16 and Zakat,17 Excise andTaxation and Cooperative DepartmentThe functions and responsibilities of thedepartment as described in the GB Rules ofBusiness, 2009 are:l Assessment and Collection of land revenue.

l Shamailat-e-deh-matters.18

l Revenue field staff, District and DivisionalEstablishment matters connected with theirrecruitment, training, pay allowancespromotions, leave, posting and transfers.

l Compulsory acquisition of land, landacquisition act and rules made thereunder.

l Registration of deeds and documentsincluding registration fees.

l Settlement and re-assessment.

l Transfer of property act.

l Stamps & Court Fees, Judicial & non-Judicialunder Court Fees act.

l Boundary disputes.

l Matters relating to Divisional, District, Sub-Divisional and Tehsil Office Buildings etc.except actual constructions, maintenanceand repairs.

l Execution of the policy laid down anddecision taken by the Central and ProvincialCouncils.

l Supervision and guidance of local Tehsil anddistrict Zakat Committees.

l Distribution of Zakat funds to local ZakatCommittees, Deeni Madras and WelfareInstitutions.

l Completion and collection of data regardingnumber of beneficiaries and the amountutilized.

l Arrangements for training of Chairman andMembers of Zakat Committees and Officersassociated with Zakat Work.

l Supervision and guidance of Local Tehsil andDistrict Zakat Committees.

l Valuation of Usher.

l Cooperative Societies and CooperativeBanks.

l Cooperative Development Fund and Projects.

D.3.8 Water and Power DepartmentThis department is responsible for development,generation, supply and distribution of power. Thefunctions of the department are provided below:l Administration of Electricity Act, 1910 and

Electricity Rules, 1937.

l Administrative control and check on the workof electric officials and all technical mattersincluding court case relating to the officials ofelectric offices.

l Electrical accidents in connection withgeneration, transmission distribution and useof electric energy.

l Standardization of specifications in respect ofelectric appliances, machinery andinstallations.

l Matters connected with distribution of power.

l Acquisition, revocation or amendment oflicenses of electric supply undertaking andapproval of loads.

l Matters connected with electricity duty underthe West Pakistan Finance Act, 1964 andRule thereunder.

l Service matters except those entrusted toS&GAD Department.

16. Usher is the obligatory charge (Zakat) on farm produce which is one-tenth for one kind of land and one-twentieth for others.17. A term used in Islamic finance to refer to the obligation that an individual has to donate a certain proportion of wealth each year to charitable causes.18. Public and private communal lands of a village



l Development of small & medium hydelstations.

l Development & maintenance of localtransmission lines.

D.3.9 Finance DepartmentThe Finance Department is responsible for thesupervision and control of GB’s finances. Itprepares the Annual Budget, and formulatesfinancial rules. Management of public funds andadministration of Local Fund Audit Departmentand the Treasuries are its main responsibilities.Details of functions are given below.

l Management of Public funds i.e. - Supervision and control of Provincial

finances.- Preparation of Provincial budget.- Preparation of supplementary estimates

and demands of excess grants.- Ways and means.

l Public Accounts and Public AccountsCommittee.

l Framing of financial rules for guidance ofdepartments and supervision of maintenanceof accounts.

l Grants, contributions, other allowances andhonoraria, contingencies, recoveries from andpayment to government department andcases relating to money matter generally,such as deflections, embezzlements andother losses.

l Banking.

l Communication of financial sanctions.

l Creation of new posts.

l Monitoring of receipts and expenditure.

l Local Audit Department.

l Treasuries and sub-treasuries

D.3.10 Tourism, Sports, Culture and YouthDepartmentFunctions of the department are explained below. l Promotion of tourism in GB.

l Development schemes pertaining to tourism.

l Arrangements of national events.

l Arrangement of Silk Route Festivals andother festivals in GB.

l Promotion of sports in GB

l Grant-in-aid to sports organization.

l Formulation of Sports policy.

l Promotion of Art, Culture and Literature.

l Conservation of historical monuments in GB

l Promotion of National integration and culturalactivities and Organization of relevantseminars and symposia.

l Development of schemes pertaining to Artand Culture.

l Service matters except those entrusted toS&GAD.


l Coordination of activities of YouthOrganizations.

l Arranging seminars/exhibitions etc, relating tosuch events as international youth year,National Youth Festivals, Sports e vents etc.

l Arranging inter-provincial and internationalvisits by the youth delegations.

D.3.11 Mineral Development, Industries,Commerce and Labor DepartmentThis department is responsible for promoting,planning and development of industries


contributing to employment generation andsocioeconomic uplift of the region. Thedepartment is responsible for matters relating to: l Geological surveys.

l Development of mineral resources andregulation of mines.

l Grant of prospecting licenses and miningleases.

l Planning and development of industries.

l Industrial research.

l Industrial control.

l Industrial exhibitions with the country.

l Survey of industries.

l Preparing plans in respect of industries to beestablished in the public sector.

l Workers colonies.

l Labor laws.

D.4 Stakeholder Identification and MappingStakeholders are persons or groups who aredirectly or indirectly affected by a project, as wellas those who may have interests in a projectand/or the ability to influence its outcome, eitherpositively or negatively. Stakeholders may includelocally affected communities or individuals andtheir formal and informal representatives, nationalor local government authorities, politicians,religious leaders, civil society organizations andgroups with special interests, the academiccommunity, or other businesses.19

Section 4.2 of this report already discusses indetail the roles and responsibilities of institutionsin the development and implementation of thePlan for Gilgit. In addition to the institutionsdiscussed previously, this section will also focuson government and non-government institutions

that may or may not be directly involved indevelopment and implementation of the Plan butmay possess some interest or may be able toexercise some influence in the process.The process of identifying stakeholders is anintegral part of the SEA as it will allow an analysisof the relationship between different stakeholdersand GDA, GB-EPA and P&DD, while at the sametime help develop a better understanding of otherorganizations with a role in developing andimplementing the Plan.

D.4.1 ObjectiveThe objective of the stakeholder analysis is to:l Identify the major institutional stakeholders

that have interest or have the ability toinfluence planning and development of thePlan.

l Assess the level of influence and interest ofvarious institutional stakeholders todetermine the significance of eachstakeholder to the Plan.

l Provide recommendations on engaging thestakeholders in the development of the Plan.

D.4.2 MethodologyThe following methodology was adopted foridentification and analysis of potentialstakeholders:l An internet-based search was conducted to

identify all the government departments,NGOs and civil society organizations fromGilgit which were considered relevant to thedevelopment of the Plan. A list of theinstitutional stakeholders is provided inExhibit 4.1 with information on whether theybelong to the private or public sector.

l A matrix was developed to measure the levelof interest and influence of the stakeholdersin the development of the Plan with the helpof information available on the websites ofthese institutions and information collectedduring preliminary stakeholder consultations

19. Stakeholder Engagement: A Good Practice Handbook for Companies Doing Business in Emerging Markets, 2007, International Finance Cooperation,PDF, http://www1.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/938f1a0048855805beacfe6a6515bb18/IFC_StakeholderEngagement.pdf?MOD=AJPERES (DateAccessed: June 7, 2013).


in Gilgit by the HBP team in September 2013.A set of questions were designed to gaugethe level of interest and influence of thestakeholders based on their organizationalobjectives and legal mandate. Each questioncould only be answered with one of thefollowing three numbers: 1, 0.5 or 0corresponding to ‘Yes’; ‘Yes & No’ or ‘notenough information’ and ‘No’ respectivelybased on available information. The scope ofthe questions was deliberately kept broad toaccommodate the potentially diverseinterests of the stakeholders in one or moreof the plethora of different aspects ofdevelopment of the Plan and their varyinglevels of influence on it.

l The questions designed to determine thelevel of interest are as follows:- Will this stakeholder be affected by the

Gilgit Master Plan?- Does this stakeholder have any past,

present or planned project or involvement in development of the Gilgit Master Plan?

- Will this stakeholder promote/support the project, provided that they are involved?

- Will this stakeholder obstruct/hinder the project if they are not involved?

- Has this stakeholder not been involved up to now but should have been?

- Do the stakeholder’s goals and expectations either support or conflict with the development of the Gilgit Master Plan?

l The questions applied to determine the levelof influence are as follows:- Does the stakeholder have a legal mandate

for anything related to the Gilgit Master Plan?

- Is this stakeholder directly responsible for decisions on issues important to the Gilgit Master Plan?

- Can this stakeholder provide or withhold resources to affect the Gilgit Master Plan?

- Does the stakeholder have the ability to mobilize civil society in pursuit of its objectives?

D.4.3 Level of Interest and Influence of theStakeholdersThe responses to the questions designed abovewere ascertained after extensive internet-basedresearch on each of the stakeholders identifiedand have been presented in Exhibit D.1 andExhibit D.2. The last column includes the finalscore for the level of influence and interestobtained based on the scoring criteria stated inSection D.3.2.

Exhibit D.3 presents the finals scores forstakeholder interest and influence together andprovides a brief summary of the nature of themandate, roles, responsibilities and objectives ofthe stakeholder which justifies their score.


Exhibit D.1: List of Identified Institutional Stakeholders in GilgitNo Institutional Stakeholder Abbreviation Type

1. Office of Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan CS Government

2. Local Government, Rural Development and Census Department LGRD&CD Governmen

3. Gilgit Development Authority GDA Government

4. Planning and Development Department P&DD Government

5. Environmental Protection Agency GB-EPA Government

6. Forest, Wildlife and Environment Department FW&ED Government

7. Mineral Development, Industries, Commerce & Labour Department MDIC&LD Government

8. Gilgit Baltistan Council GBC Government

9. Works Department WD Government

10. Law and Prosecution Department L&PD Government

11. Food and Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Department F&AFAHD Government

12. Finance Department FD Government

13. Revenue, Usher and Zakat, Excise and Taxation and Cooperative Department RUZET&CP Government

14. Education, Social Welfare and Women Development ESW&WD Government

15. Home & Prisons Department H&PD Government

16. Health and Population Welfare Department H&PWD Government

17. Water and Power Department W&PD Government

18. Tourism, Sports, Culture and Youth Department TSC&YD Government

19. Water and Sanitation Extension Program WASEP NGO

20. Building and Construction Extension Program BACEP NGO

21. World Wildlife Fund WWF NGO

22. Karakoram Agricultural Research Institute for the Northern Areas KARINA Academic

23. Karakoram International University KIU Academic

283Pilot SEA of Master Plan for Gilgit CityExhibit D

.2: A

ssessing Stakeholders’ Level of Interest

No

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

Sta

keho

lder

20

CS

LGRD&CD

GDA

P&DD

GB-EPA

FW&ED

MDIC&LD

GBC

WD

L&PD

F&AFA

HD

FD RUZET&

CP

ESW&WD

H&PD

H&PWD

W&PD

TSC&YD

WASEP

BACEP

WWF

KARINA

KIU

A -

Has

thi

sst

akeh

old

er n

otb

een

invo

lved

up

to n

ow in

the

form

ulat

ion

of t

heG

ilgit

mas

ter

pla

nb

ut s

houl

d h

ave

bee

n?

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

B -

Will

thi

sst

akeh

old

er b

eaf

fect

ed b

y th

eG

ilgit

Mas

ter

Pla

n?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No inform

ation

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

C -

Will

thi

sst

akeh

old

erp

rom

ote/

sup

por

tth

e p

roje

ct,

pro

vid

ed t

hey

are

invo

lved

?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No inform

ation

No inform

ation

Yes

No inform

ation

No inform

ation

No inform

ation

No inform

ation

Yes

No inform

ation

Yes

Yes

Yes

No inform

ation

No inform

ation

D -

Will

thi

sst

akeh

old

erob

stru

ct/h

ind

erth

e p

roje

ct if

they

are

not

invo

lved

?

Yes

No inform

ation

Yes

Yes

Yes

No inform

ation

No inform

ation

Yes

No inform

ation

No

No

No inform

ation

No inform

ation

No

No inform

ation

No

No inform

ation

No inform

ation

No inform

ation

No inform

ation

No

No inform

ation

No inform

ation

E -

Do

the

stak

ehol

der

’sgo

als

and

exp

ecta

tions

eith

er s

upp

ort

orco

nflic

t w

ith t

heG

ilgit

Mas

ter

Pla

n?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No Inform

ation

Yes

No

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

F -

Doe

s th

isst

akeh

old

er h

ave

any

pas

t, p

rese

ntor

pla

nned

pro

ject

or

invo

lvem

ent

inG

ilgit

Mas

ter

Pla

n?

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

Yes

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No

No

No

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

Yes

Yes

No

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

Leve

l of

Inte

rest

(Max

scor

e 6)

4.5 4 5 4.5

4.5 3 4 4 4 1 2 3.5 3 0.5

1.5 1 3.5

3.5

2.5

2.5 3 1.5

1.5

20. Fu

ll na

mes available in Exh

ibit 4.1


Exhibit D

.3: A

ssessing Stakeholders’ Level of Influence

No

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

Sta

keho

lder

20

CS

LGRD&CD

GDA

P&DD

GB-EPA

FW&ED

MDIC&LD

GBC

WD

L&PD

F&AFA

HD

FD RUZET&

CP

ESW&WD

H&PD

H&PWD

W&PD

TSC&YD

WASEP

BACEP

WWF

KARINA

KIU

G -

Doe

s th

est

akeh

old

er h

ave

ale

gal m

and

ate

for

anyt

hing

rel

ated

to

Gilg

it M

aste

r P

lan?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No Inform

ation

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

H -

Is t

his

stak

ehol

der

dire

ctly

res

pon

sib

lefo

r d

ecis

ions

on

issu

es im

por

tant

to

Gilg

it M

aste

r P

lan?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

No

No

No

No

No

No

I - C

an t

his

stak

ehol

der

pro

vid

e or

with

hold

res

ourc

es t

oaf

fect

Gilg

it M

aste

rP

lan?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No Inform

ation

Yes

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

Yes

Yes

No Inform

ation

Yes

Yes

J -

Doe

s th

est

akeh

old

er h

ave

the

abili

ty t

o m

obili

ze c

ivil

soci

ety

in p

ursu

it of

its o

bje

ctiv

es?

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

Yes

Yes

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No

No Inform

ation

No

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

No Inform

ation

Yes

Yes

Leve

l of

Influ

ence

(Max

sco

re 4

)

4.5 4 5 4.5

4.5 3 4 4 4 1 2 3.5 3 0.5

1.5 1 3.5

3.5

1.5

1.5 3 1.5

1.5


Exhibit D

.4: Level of Interest and Influence Scores along with Supporting Information

Sta

keho

lder

21

CS

LGRD&CD

GDA

P&DD

GB-EPA

FW&ED

MDIC&LD

GBC

WD

L&PD

F&AFA

HD

FD

Sup

por

ting

Info

rmat

ion

The CS is in

cha

rge of the

Service

s an

d G

eneral Administration Dep

artm

ent an

d sha

ll also

be

the Sec

retary to the Cab

inet, he

ads the Sec

retarie

s Com

mittee

and

coo

rdinates w

ith all

dep

artm

ents.

The dep

artm

ent is the

main player ac

tive in rural develop

men

t, m

ain area

s of in

terven

tion

includ

e co

nstruc

tion of sch

ools, link-road

s, irrig

ation ch

anne

ls, water storage

tan

ks and

provision

of water sup

ply and

san

itatio

n facilities to rural com

mun

ities. Th

e dep

artm

ent is

resp

onsible for develop

men

t fund

s an

d develop

men

t sche

mes pertaining to lo

cal c

ounc

ils.

GDA has the

prim

e resp

onsibility to initiate an

d m

aintain a co

ntinuo

us proce

ss of

comprehe

nsive develop

men

t an

d plann

ing for Gilgit with

the

objective of preparing a

develop

men

t plan. It is also resp

onsible for preparing the master plan an

d pha

sed m

aster

program

for the

develop

men

t of any

part or w

hole of the sp

ecified

area of G

ilgit District.

P&DD is the

prin

ciple in

stitu

tion resp

onsible approving

various

kind of develop

men

t projects of

all line dep

artm

ents.

GB-EPA

is prim

arily respon

sible for administerin

g the provision

s of the

Pak

istan Env

ironm

ental

Protection Act 199

7 in G

B and

safeg

uarding the en

vironm

ent an

d natural resou

rces. GB-EPA

isbou

nd und

er the

Act to regu

late develop

men

t throug

h en

vironm

ental a

ssessm

ents of all suc

hdevelop

men

t projects that m

ay cau

se signific

ant im

pac

ts to the en

vironm

ent.

The dep

artm

ent is respon

sible for the

protection an

d promotion of natural resou

rces in

GB.

The dep

artm

ent is respon

sible for promoting, plann

ing an

d develop

ing indus

tries co

ntrib

uting to

employm

ent ge

neratio

n an

d soc

ioec

onom

ic uplift of the

reg

ion. Preparing plans

in respec

t of

indus

tries to be establishe

d in

the

pub

lic sec

tor.

The GBC is empow

ered

to mak

e laws pertaining to m

atters spec

ified

in the

Cou

ncil Le

gislative

List provided

in the

Gilgit Baltistan (Empow

ermen

t an

d Self-Gov

erna

nce) O

rder, 20

09

The Works Dep

artm

ent is m

ainly invo

lved

in con

struction of roa

ds, buildings

, co

nstruc

tion of

pow

er sup

ply statio

ns (h

ydro pow

er, thermal), for towns

and

rural areas.

Provide ad

vice

to dep

artm

ent on

all lega

l matters in

clud

ing interpretatio

n of la

ws, rules and

orders ha

ving

the

force

of law.

Dep

artm

ent is respon

sible for administerin

g laws an

d m

anag

emen

t of resou

rces.

Fina

nce Dep

artm

ent resp

onsible for the

sup

ervision

and

con

trol of GB finan

ces. It prepares the

of Ann

ual B

udge

t.

Leve

l of

Influ

ence

(Max

sco

re 4

)

4.5 4 5 4.5

4.5 3 4 4 4 1 2 3.5

Leve

l of

Inte

rest

(Max

sco

re 6

)

4.5 4 5 4.5

4.5 3 4 4 4 1 2 3.5

No

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

11.

12.

21. Fu

ll na


ibit 4.1


Sup

por

ting

Info

rmat

ion

The dep

artm

ent is respon

sible for m

atters relating to tax

ation, collection of la

nd reven

ues,

sham

ilat an

d deh

, bou

ndary disputes,

Respon

sible for promoting ed

ucation an

d scien

tific resea

rch, professiona

l and

finan

cial

assistan

ce to registered

volun

tary soc

ial w

elfare age

ncies, overall so

cial and

eco

nomic uplift of

wom

en and

awaren

ess ris

ing.

Respon

sible for m

aintaining

pub

lic O

rder and

Internal Sec

urity. Enforce

and

maintain law and

order.

Improving

hea

lth and

providing for ad

equa

te fac

ilitie

s for the peo

ple G

B.

Matters relating to pow

er distribution.

Promote tourism, art, culture and

literature.

Works tow

ards provision

of clea

n drin

king

water and

hyg

ienic sanitatio

n facilities to prevent the

high

inciden

ce of waterborne

disea

ses in disad

vantag

ed com

mun

ities

Works tow

ards im

proving

hou

sing

and

living

con

dition

s of rural and

peri-urban

com

mun

ities

with

the

mission

“to promote mea

sures that w

ill ena

ble the

com

mun

ities in

GB to m

ake

sustaina

ble im

provemen

ts in

the

ir living co

ndition

s by providing so

lutio

ns to their ho

using

related problems, allowing them

to op

timize their investmen

t in built en

vironm

ent related

aspec

ts and

hen

ce im

prove the

qua

lity of living

env

ironm

ent, esp

ecially for w

omen

and

children”

WWF aims to con

serve na

ture and

eco

logica

l proce

sses by:

Preserving ge

netic

, sp

ecies, and

eco

system

diversity, en

surin

g that the

use of rene

wab

le natural

reso

urce

s is sus

tainab

le, both no

w and

in the

long

er term, promoting ac

tion to red

uce pollutio

nan

d the

wasteful e

xploita

tion an

d con

sumptio

n of resou

rces and

ene

rgy

Provide su

pport reso

urce

s.

Provide su

pport an

d resou

rces

Sta

keho

lder

21

RUZET&

CP

ESW&WD

H&PD

H&PWD

W&PD

TSC&YD

WASEP

BACEP

WWF

KARINA

KIU

Leve

l of

Influ

ence

(Max

sco

re 4

)

3 0.5

1.5 1 3.5

3.5

1.5

1.5 3 1.5

1.5

Leve

l of

Inte

rest

(Max

sco

re 6

)

3 0.5

1.5 1 3.5

3.5

2.5

2.5 3 1.5

1.5

No

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

21. Fu

ll na


ibit 4.1


D.4.4 Mapping Stakeholder Influence andInterest in the Master Plan for GilgitThe scores from stakeholder influence andinterest analyses were mapped using a simple x-ygrid with increasing levels of influence andinterest away from the bottom-left corner of thegrid. The x - and y – axis represent the possiblescores in both categories with a score of ‘6’ beingthe maximum possible score on the ‘interest’ axisand ‘4’ for the axis representing ‘influence’. Bysplitting the influence and interest axes down themiddle, the grid was divided into four quadrantsas shown in Exhibit D.5.

The top-right quadrant is the one withstakeholders deemed to be most influential andmost interested or impacted by the Plan.Stakeholders falling into this quadrant are thosethat should be kept close in the development ofthe Plan due to their mandates and objectives asdiscussed in Section 4.3.3.

Stakeholders falling in the top-left quadrant arethose with larger degrees of influence but littleinterest in - or with little impact from the Plan.These entities should be consulted and keptsatisfied in the Gilgit Master Plan developmentprocess.

Stakeholders falling in the bottom-right quadrantare those with great interest in the Plan but holdalmost no influence over it. These entities shouldbe consulted and kept informed of the planningand development process.

The bottom-left corner contains all of theremaining stakeholders that were included in thestakeholder mapping exercise. These entities hadalmost no influence in affecting the Gilgit MasterPlan and no interest in it either. These entitiesshould be simply monitored for developing levelsof interest in the Plan and for collection of datafrom them if pertinent to its development process.

Exhibit D.6 lists the different entities that fall underthe four different categories withrecommendations for engaging them in thedevelopment of the Plan. Recommendations forengaging the stakeholders range from actionsthat encourage coordination and involvementbetween these stakeholders and the institutionsresponsible for developing the Plan, to identifyingthe need for developing their capacities toimprove the fulfillment of their mandate in thecontext of the Plan. The recommendations alsoinclude sharing information about the Plan withthe public, keeping the latter informed especiallyabout the possible environmental repercussionsof the Plan.

Exhibit D.5 : Stakeholders of Gilgit Master Plan Mapped According to Interest and Influence

+ Influence

+ Interest

Consult and Keep Satisfied

Manage Closely

Monitor - Gather orReceive Information

Consult and Keep Informed


Exhibit D.6: Stakeholder Level of Engagement in Gilgit Master PlanStakeholderEngagement

ManageClosely

Consult andKeep Satisfied

Consult andKeep Informed

Monitor –Gather orReceiveInformation

Engaging Stakeholders in Gilgit Master Plan

• Intense institutional coordination required between institutionsdeveloping Gilgit Master Plan and stakeholder.

• Intense information sharing between institutions developing GilgitMaster Plan and stakeholder.

• Stakeholder should have say in speed and priority of execution ofplans.

• Stakeholder capacity to meet its objectives and mandate withregards to Gilgit Master Plan should be strengthened and notbypassed.

• Stakeholder must be intensely involved in monitoring andevaluating the development of Gilgit Master Plan.

• Stakeholder should play an active role in keeping public informedabout Gilgit Master Plan and its possible environmentalrepercussions.

• Moderate institutional coordination required between institutionsdeveloping Gilgit Master Plan and stakeholder.

• Moderate information sharing between institutions developingGilgit Master Plan and stakeholder.

• Stakeholder should be informed about speed and priority ofexecution of plans.


• Stakeholder must be moderately involved in monitoring andevaluating the development of the Gilgit Master Plan.

• Stakeholder should play some role in keeping public informedabout Gilgit Master Plan and its possible environmentalrepercussions.

• Moderate institutional coordination required between institutionsdeveloping Gilgit Master Plan and stakeholder.

• Moderate information sharing between institutions developingGilgit Master Plan and stakeholder.

• Stakeholder should be informed about speed and priority ofexecution of plans.


• Stakeholder must be moderately involved in monitoring andevaluating the development of Gilgit Master Plan.

• Stakeholder should play some role in keeping public informedabout Gilgit Master Plan and its possible environmentalrepercussions.

• No institutional coordination required between institutionsdeveloping Gilgit Master Plan and stakeholder.

• Minimal information sharing between institutions developing GilgitMaster Plan and stakeholder.

• Stakeholder should be encouraged to play some role in keepingpublic informed about Gilgit Master Plan and its possibleenvironmental repercussions.

Stakeholder

GB-EPA

P&DD

CS

GDA

GBC

FD

WD

MDIC&LD

LGRD&CD

FW&ED

WASEP

BACEP

WWF

RUZET&CP

TSC&YD

W&PD

L&PD

H&PD

F&AFHAD

AKRSP

H&PWD

ESW&WD


D.4.5 Public Participation and GrievanceRedress There is no formal grievance redress mechanismin GB. People usually contact the governmentofficials with their issues and request that theirissues be resolved. This is mainly reported by theLGRD&CD. EPA-GB also entertains suchcomplaints and issues. The development processof the Plan must involve the public in order to besuccessful in achieving its desired objectives ofimproving the quality of life of the inhabitants of

Gilgit. Existing systems of public participation andgrievance redress are, however, inadequate indoing so. Therefore, the development process ofthe Plan must ensure, at its center, a publicparticipation and grievance redress mechanismwhich allows inhabitants of the city a means toparticipate in the development of their city andhave their voices and concerns heard by therelevant departments.

6 Rules of Strategic Environmental Assessment

Produced with the financial support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN).

sea of master plan for gilgit city

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