Climate Crisis Threatens Pakistan's Mountain Tourism

This illustration shows that the built-up area of Luxus Hotel in Hunza sits close to the 50-foot minimum setback from the lake mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency. It also appears that land has been reclaimed, and an embankment constructed along the lakeshore beside the hotel.

“It started with a thunderous roar in the distance, followed by the clatter of rocks grinding together,” said Mohammad Hussain, 26, a student who witnessed the flash flood that hit the lakeside of Attabad on June 25 around 12:30 pm in the mountainous Hunza Valley, a popular tourist spot in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).

Standing atop the Moon Bridge, he saw muddy slush surging at high speed. The sloshing sound came with dull thuds as boulders slammed into the earth. “I was both scared and awestruck,” he said.

The valley had been experiencing unusually high temperatures that week. “We’re mountain folks—we can bear the cold, but not such intense heat,” he added.

Such erratic weather reflects a broader trend. A 2024 study shows that the fragile mountain ecosystem of G-B is severely affected by extreme weather and climate hazards like floods, avalanches, landslides, and glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Although 50 percent of G-B’s 72,971 km² land is considered cultivable, only 2% is farmed, with small plots averaging 0.4 hectares per household. Reduced snowfall has led to water shortages and shrinking grazing lands, worsening food insecurity.

Khadim Hussain, director of Gilgit-Baltistan’s Environmental Protection Agency, explained that the heatwave had caused rapid snowmelt in the mountains, swelling the Burundubar stream and triggering the flash flood.

The resulting sludge flowed into Attabad Lake—a lake formed in 2010 when a massive landslide dammed the Hunza River, submerging Ainabad village and partially submerging Gulmit and Shishkat.

“The sludge engulfed the Luxus Hotel from both sides, cutting off access and trapping tourists and staff,” said Zubair Ahmed Khan, assistant director at the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority for Hunza and Nagar, two high-risk districts.

He added that although an excavator and operator were provided, the authority had to seek help from local boatmen to rescue around 150 stranded people from inside the hotel.

Since the hotel began operating seven years ago, the Burundubar stream has flooded only three times—twice this year, Khan noted, adding, “The future remains uncertain.”

Experts predict the situation will worsen. “As the climate changes, the frequency and intensity of floods in Burundubar have increased, leading to debris accumulation and raising risks to surrounding infrastructure,” said Shazia Parveen, an environmentalist from Hunza. She warned that the area should be declared an Ecologically Sensitive and Critical Area (ESCA) under Gilgit-Baltistan’s 2023 rules.

A post-flood assessment by the G-B government concluded that the Burundubar stream poses a recurring flood risk to the hotel’s structure, staff, and tourists.

Vaqar Zakaria, head of Hagler Bailley Pakistan, noted that while floodplain management laws exist, they are rarely enforced. “Our response is always reactive—we panic after the damage, but never plan to prevent it,” he said. He added that “90% of the damage is avoidable with proper planning and regulation,” which explains why international donors often overlook Pakistan’s climate appeals.

The consequences of this neglect are clear. “The Luxus Hotel sits in a flood path—it should never have been built,” said local activist Jameel Hunzographer, blaming government failure.

Not everyone shares his concern. “It may be submerged,” said 60-year-old Dervaish Ali, “but it will never collapse.” A former farmer whose orchard was swallowed by Attabad Lake, Ali later worked in construction and was contracted to build the Luxus Hotel. In 2017, he sold 0.62 acres to the hotel owner and used the proceeds to build a home safely outside the hazard zone.

Ali distanced himself from blame, saying, “When I sold the land, the owner knew the risks.” However, he acknowledged that climate-driven flash floods had destroyed the 300 poplar trees he planted near the hotel just two years ago. “Every last one gone,” he said quietly.

For many activists, this reflects a broader pattern of reckless development. “These flash floods and disasters are of our own making,” said Baba Jan, president of the Gilgit-Baltistan chapter of the Awami Workers Party. He criticised unchecked development and environmental degradation disguised as tourism.

Deforestation to clear land for construction and fuel has exacerbated the crisis. The Luxus Hotel, opened in 2019, has faced sharp criticism for its location and unsustainable practices, though locals often avoid speaking openly, fearing reprisals from its politically influential owners.

A viral video by a British vlogger recently exposed the hotel’s violations, prompting authorities to partially seal the hotel and fine it for allegedly dumping wastewater into the lake—a charge the resort denied but paid.

The Environmental Protection Agency has since recommended a five-year ban on hotel construction or expansion in various G-B regions, citing unregulated development and harm to public health and the ecosystem. The deputy commissioner of Hunza has also suspended the issuance of no-objection certificates for new construction in parts of Hunza, including Attabad.

But the environmental damage extends beyond construction. Diesel generators, polluting vehicles and boats, dust, noise, and plastic waste are fuelling frustration among locals.

“We’re exhausted by tourists, but we depend on them,” said Nur Baig, who runs a co-working space in Hunza. With no proper planning for tourism growth, locals now face threats from overcrowded roads and pollution.

Activists warn that unless tourism becomes sustainable, the region will lose its ecological and cultural identity. Some, like Karakoram Area Development Organisation (KADO), are pushing for plastic reduction and responsible tourism. “Tourists need to understand that our waste systems are limited,” said Abbas Ali of KADO.

Aftab Rana of the Sustainable Tourism Foundation believes luxury and sustainability can coexist. Green practices could reduce operational costs while protecting the environment, but a lack of enforcement prevents hotels from adopting these standards.

While guidelines for sustainable mountain architecture exist, neither hotels nor tourists seem interested in green certifications due to weak regulation. Without urgent reforms, Pakistan’s fragile mountain tourism faces an uncertain future.