PM Shehbaz Rewards Brave Shepherds of Gilgit-Baltistan
ISLAMABAD (August 25, 2025):
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday honored three shepherds from Gilgit-Baltistan whose quick action saved nearly 300 people from a deadly glacial lake outburst in Roshan village, Ghizer district.
The PM presented Rs2.5 million each to Wasit Khan, Ansar, and Muhammad Khan at the Prime Minister House, calling them the “true heroes of Gilgit-Baltistan”.
“Your timely warning saved hundreds of lives. The entire nation, including myself, feels proud of your bravery. This sacrifice for humanity will be remembered in golden words,” Shehbaz said while addressing the shepherds.
The incident occurred when one of the shepherds noticed unusual signs of a flood while grazing cattle. Using his mobile phone, he alerted villagers just moments before powerful floodwaters swept through the area, submerging homes and washing away livestock. Thanks to his vigilance, no lives were lost.
Residents later acknowledged the shepherds’ role, saying their timely call achieved what costly early warning devices failed to deliver.
Shakir Hussain, a villager, said:
“We were all asleep. If he hadn’t informed us, we would have met a tragic end. A simple shepherd did what millions of rupees worth of equipment could not.”
The Roshan tragedy has once again highlighted gaps in the government’s Early Warning System (EWS), which failed to detect the flood despite heavy investments in monitoring devices.
Officials confirmed that while the entire village was submerged, quick evacuation saved every life. However, residents lost all household items and livestock, sparking debates on strengthening community-based disaster response.
The Prime Minister assured that the Ministry of Climate Change is now working to integrate technology with local knowledge to improve early warning systems across Gilgit-Baltistan.
Earlier, senior police officer Faisal Sultan had also awarded Rs10,000 to one of the shepherds, while the local community is considering awarding them honorary medals for their life-saving act.
This event mirrors another recent case in Gulmit, Gojal, where traditional observation methods helped dozens escape a flash flood, proving that local wisdom remains Pakistan’s strongest frontline defense against climate disasters.