13,000+ glaciers put Pakistan on alert

September 06, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan’s 13,032 documented glaciers and around 3,000 glacial lakes underscore the growing disaster risk facing communities in the country’s mountainous regions as climate change alters glaciers and increases the threat of glacial hazards.

Environment scientist and glacier researcher Dr. Anees Ahmad warned that urgent investment in monitoring, early-warning systems, disaster infrastructure and public awareness was needed to reduce the risk of a major glacial disaster.

Speaking during a podcast programme, Dr. Anees said Pakistan’s glaciers are concentrated across the Hindu Kush, Karakoram and Himalayan ranges, with around 30 glaciers covering areas of approximately 50 square kilometres each.

The Hindu Kush region, particularly the border areas of Afghanistan and Chitral, contains more than 2,500 glaciers and around 180 glacial lakes, while the Himalayan region has more than 3,000 glaciers.

The Karakoram alone contains around 10,000 square kilometres of glacial ice, according to the researcher.

Dr. Anees said the region faces multiple hazards because of steep and potentially unstable slopes, while rising temperatures are changing the country’s predominantly debris-covered glaciers.

He called for continuous monitoring of glaciers and glacial lakes, installation of early-warning systems, creation of safe zones and stronger enforcement against construction along riverbeds and waterways.

He also highlighted the shortage of weather stations in Pakistan and said several automated stations had been installed in high-altitude areas with support from the Italian high-altitude scientific research organization Ev-K2-CNR.

The researcher cautioned against assessing glacier health solely through changes in surface area, arguing that glacier volume should also be measured to obtain a more comprehensive picture of climate-related changes.

He stressed that communities in glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF)-prone areas should not be allowed to rebuild homes in high-risk zones, while greater investment in research and monitoring would be necessary to improve disaster preparedness.

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