Pakistani Shepherds Celebrated as Heroes for Saving Hundreds from Gilgit Floods

TDT | Manama

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Three shepherds from Gilgit-Baltistan have been hailed as national heroes after saving nearly 300 lives in Roshan village from a deadly flash flood.

Wasit Khan, Ansar, and Muhammad Khan noticed early signs of a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) while tending their livestock in the remote mountains of Ghizer district. Acting swiftly, one of them used his mobile phone to alert villagers, giving them just enough time to escape before torrents of water submerged their homes.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited the trio to Islamabad for a special ceremony to honour their bravery. “They are a remarkable example of duty and responsibility,” said Shehbaz, praising their lifesaving actions. Villagers, who lost homes and livestock, credited the shepherds for preventing a major tragedy.

The incident has raised questions about the reliability of costly Early Warning Systems in Gilgit-Baltistan, which failed to alert communities during the disaster, claiming at least 40 lives in other areas. Experts say that traditional local knowledge often plays a crucial role in surviving natural hazards in Pakistan’s northern regions.

Nationwide, the monsoon season has caused devastating floods, with nearly 750 lives lost so far. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone, 393 people died and more than 1,600 homes were destroyed. The shepherds’ heroic act serves as a reminder of human vigilance in the face of climate change and natural disasters.