Mountains play a significant role in providing water and food supply to the millions of people in the world. Mountains cover around 22 percent of the surface of the earth and 13 percent of the world’s population live in the mountains. Ninety percent of the world’s mountain inhabitants live in developing countries, where a huge population live under the poverty line, and one out of every three individuals experiences the danger of food insecurity.

Mountains offer 60-80 percent of the world’s freshwater. According to UNO, almost one billion people live in mountain areas, and over half of the human population depends on mountains for water and nutrition. Mountains are facing risk from climate change and natural calamities. Mountains face climate change as the global temperature continues to warm which disturbs starving and poorest people of the world who live in the mountains. Due to the increasing temperature, glaciers on the mountains start melting which brings floods in the world. Currently, 329 million people living in the mountains face food scarcity.

World’s second highest mountain peak K2 lies in Pakistan. K2 is 8,611 meters high. This is a great asset to Pakistan. While the highest peak in Sindh is Gorakh Hill Station, it is in the Khirthar mountain ranges, and its height is 7057 feet. This mountain lies in district Dadu. This is a very beautiful hill station. Even during the hot summer season, one can have pleasant weather here, and in the winter season, visitors enjoy natural snowfall. Sadly, this hill station remained overlooked in terms of development. The road which leads to Gorakh hill station is in poor condition. No parks or plantation can be seen in this hill station.

Although a huge budget has been released for the development of Gorakh hill station, the development remained only in papers. Residents of Gorakh hill station live a miserable life. Even, there is no single school in this hilly area. If development work is carried out properly, this tourist place can become the Muree of Sindh.

The international community has to take steps to save mountains and its inhabitants from climate change and other natural disasters. Especially, the Sindh government is requested to take needful measures for the development of Gorakh hill station and make it a wonderful tourist place of Sindh.

RIAZ RUSTAMANI,

Johu, January 5.