Returning to Gilgit after my four-year degree in Lahore felt like entering a different world. The lush green pastures and fragrant plants seemed like a distant memory. The ‘new’ Gilgit was without its natural charm. Sweltering temperature, towering houses, grand hotels and huge billboards made me wonder if I was reliving a more dystopian version of Lahore in some parallel universe. The rapid development had turned a hamlet into a sprawling city, but at what cost? This is not just a lament, but a call for action. The city planners need to wake up. In our rush towards progress, we seem to have struggled to define what is progress. Let progress enhance, not erase, what makes Gilgit a cherished home. We long for the simplicity that once defined our region.
RAKHSHANDA ABBAS
GILGIT
