President Zardari appreciates Italian NGO interested in studying GB glaciers
PT Report
ISLAMABAD, May 4: President Asif Ali Zardari has stressed the need for scientifically studying the glaciers of Gilgit – Baltistan. He termed the glaciers of GB as ‘vast reservoirs of water and their movement needs to be studied scientifically for a better understanding of the water and environmental issues’. He said this during a meeting with Agostino Da Ploenza, a renowned mountaineer and President of an NGO called EvK2CNR.
The Italy based NGO headed by Ploenza works on scientific projects for carrying out research on glaciers movement in Himalaya, Karakorum and HinduKash.
The President also told the visitors that the government is focussing on development and uplift of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and welcomed private initiatives in this regard.
The President also reportedly said that he would recommend to the Government to consider setting up a political committee to examine issues in water, environment and energy in Gilgit-Baltistan to suggest measures for optimal utilization of the areas’ natural resources.
The President urged for further enhancing the Pak-Italy bilateral cooperation in all fields, particularly trade and economic sectors.
President of EvK2CNR, Agostino Da Ploenza, appreciated the President’s interests in glaciers studies in Gilgit-Baltistan and said that his organization would collaborate with local institutions to materialize scientific monitoring of glaciers and conducting scientific research in the HKH region.
Also accompanying Polenza during the meeting were Dr. Aziz Ali Najam, ex VC of Karakuram International University and two officials of EvK2CNR.
If the current stand-off line, along the Saltoro ridge is acpetced as the “for the moment” de-facto continuation of the LoC, by a treaty (in presence of at-least 2 3rd party witness), such that the entire Siachen glacier is on Indian side of LoC and the region to the west of Saltoro ridge is acpetced to be on the Pak side of LoC, would that be a good bargain for India (as a pre-requisite for de-militarization of the Glacier region).Of course assuming the Chinese withdrawn from GB before that.