MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): Experts have raised concerns over the alarming rate at which glaciers in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) are melting due to climate change.
According to details, Azad Kashmir has 224 glaciers, all located in the Neelum Valley, covering an area of 109 square kilometers.
Dr. Sardar Muhammad Rafiq, a climate change expert, has stated that the glaciers in Azad Kashmir are melting at an accelerated pace.
He warned that the region’s temperature has risen more than the global average, with an increase of over two degrees Celsius in the past 60 years.
“If this trend continues, there is a risk that all AJK glaciers will disappear within the next 50 years,” Dr. Rafiq warned.
He underlined the need to preserve these glaciers a critical necessity, by saying that 80% of the region’s clean water supply comes from these glaciers.
He urged immediate action and emphasized the need for special measures to protect these vital ice reserves.
PM on World Glacier Day
On World Glacier Day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the critical role of glaciers in sustaining life on Earth.
The Premier urged collective action to protect these vital natural resources, warning that if glaciers disappear, the glacier-dependent lives will also be at risk.
In his message, the Prime Minister said that 2025 marks the first-ever observance of World Glacier Day, underscoring the importance of preserving these precious resources.
There are more than 13,000 glaciers in Pakistan, but over 10,000 are melting rapidly due to climate change, increasing the risk of floods and droughts, according to the reports.
The 2022 floods, causing $30 billion in damages, were a stark reminder of the severe climate threats facing the country.
There is a need that the world community extend greater support to countries like Pakistan in tackling climate challenges.
