ISLAMABAD, July 18: Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection Authority has imposed a 5-year ban on the construction of new hotels around Gilgit-Baltistan’s lakes to curb environmental degradation.
The region has seen a surge in unregulated hotel construction, straining limited water and power infrastructure and increasing pollution levels. Gilgit-Baltistan, home to around 13,000 glaciers—the world’s largest concentration outside the poles—attracts thousands of tourists annually to its lakes, mountains, and the historic Silk Road.
READ MORE:World Environment Day Being Observed Across the Globe Today
The ban follows public outrage after a viral video last month showed a hotel allegedly dumping wastewater into Attabad Lake, prompting a $5,000 fine. Local activists and tourism operators have largely welcomed the moratorium, citing the urgent need to preserve the fragile alpine ecosystem.
