Climate change is forcing communities to migrate to safer locations with limited access to housing, water, and other services. An initiative by WWF-Pakistan is ensuring an uninterrupted supply of water to climate migrants in northern Pakistan.
In 2010, when Darkut valley in Ghizer district of Gilgit Baltistan was hit by a massive flood, people lost their houses, standing crops, and other belongings. Everything seemed to have been lost. However, there was no loss of lives back then.
Parveen Bibi, who is now aged 30, is one of them. She informed that her family lost approximately 15 million rupees, but the compensation provided by the government was only Rs. 20,000 and food ration for only three months.
“There was nowhere to stay, as we used to live in shelters and in the houses of relatives,” she said.
The situation remained the same for nearly six years with no relief in sight. However, in 2016, the Ismaili Council, a religious body of Ismaili Muslims focused on addressing the challenges faced by Ismaili Muslims, facilitated land purchase and co-financed the construction of houses with support from the communities.
“In 2016, around 52 households from Darkut valley migrated to Hatoon valley, and we named our community ‘Darkut Colony’. It reminded us of where we came from and provided us with a sense of association with our ancestral homeland,” she said.
“Life was difficult after the floods. There was no drinking or municipal water, and no school for children when we arrived in Darkut Colony. We used to drink water from streams,” Parveen told.
The Ismaili Council had constructed a water tank for the newly arrived inhabitants of Darkut Colony, which used to pump water from the nearby Ghizer river through an electric motor. However, the water supply scheme was ineffective because the motor wasn’t fully functional, and the water requirements of the communities weren’t met.
Parveen informed that in 2024, the Local Support Organization (LSO) of their community requested WWF-Pakistan to address their drinking water woes. The work on the project began in December 2024, and by July 2025, the communities are being supplied with safe drinking water through a solar water pump.
WWF-Pakistan’s project has enabled the provision of 28,000 liters of safe drinking water, which is supplied twice a day to the communities of Darkut Colony. The cost of pumping and supplying water to the communities is “zero”, as it is fully solar and has zero emissions.
As the previously installed electric pump was not functional, the residents of Darkut Colony had to fetch water from nearby open sources, mostly from the riverbank, which exposed them to various waterborne diseases. Through the drinking water supply scheme by WWF-Pakistan, a 100-ft deep bore was drilled to extract water from Ghizer river.
Parveen is happy that the drinking water supply scheme installed by WWF-Pakistan is providing safe drinking water to the communities of Darkut valley. According to her, “The water is good for drinking, and we feel healthy and hope that we won’t suffer from water-borne diseases anymore,” said Parveen bibi.
“The solar water pump ensures the provision of drinking water to the Internally Displaced people (IDPs),” told Neelum Sarwar, the Chairman of the Sangam LSO.
The water supply scheme includes a 7.5 hp submersible solar water pump supported by 10 kW solar system with a projected operational lifespan of 25-30 years. The water is pumped from the Ghizer river, which flows next to Hatoon valley, but at a lower elevation. The communities have an uninterrupted water supply during the day.
The communities turn on the solar water pump twice a day, once in the morning and in the afternoon, which ensures that they have a 24-hour water supply. The water pumped through the solar water pump is supplied to an overhead water tank with a capacity of 28,000 liters. The water from the water tank is then distributed to households through a network of pipes.
The project was completed at a cost of Rs. 7.1 million, and it has been handed over to the communities for complete responsibility of the initiative and its maintenance. A committee has been constituted in Darkut Colony, which collects funds from each household every month for the operation and maintenance of the system.
According to Dr. Farasat Ali, Provincial Project Lead, Water Resource Accountability in Pakistan (WRAP) Programme, WWF-Pakistan, “Hatoon valley has ample sunlight even in the winter season. Therefore, the water supply scheme can fully meet the needs of the communities through solar energy.”
Ali further told that the water supplied through the intervention is safe for drinking and meets the WHO guidelines and National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS). The report was issued by Gilgit Baltistan’s Environmental Protection Agency (GB-EPA).
The communities of Darkut valley suffered heavy damage at the hands of the 2010 floods. According to Germanwatch’s Global Climate Risk Index 2012, Pakistan was ranked as the number one country most affected due to climate change in 2010. The country lost US$25.3 billion (5.4 percent of the GDP) due to the 2010 floods, as 84 of 121 districts were affected, which killed more than 1,700 people.
After the devastating floods in Darkut valley, the Ismaili Council facilitated the migration of communities to Hatoon valley. A plain area of approx. 10 hectares was purchased by the affected communities in Hatoon valley. However, the construction cost was co-financed by the Ismaili Council.
Shakoor Khan, aged 42, had also migrated from Darkut valley to Darkut Colony in Hatoon valley, owing to the 2010 floods. According to him, “Our agricultural land was lost and our house was partially damaged. I used to work as a laborer in Darkut valley, but after the floods, I lost my job.”
When he migrated to Darkut Colony in 2016, there was no electricity or water. However, he is grateful to WWF-Pakistan that now their community is getting safe drinking water from the solar water supply scheme. Khan further told that “previously, our community used to suffer from gastro and digestive problems, as the water was consumed directly from the Ghizer river. Now, we feel light after consuming water from the solar water pump installed by WWF-Pakistan.”
However, Khan requests an electric connection from the main electricity grid, as when the weather is cloudy or when it rains, the solar panels do not produce electricity, and the solar water pump does not work.
Dr. Farasat Ali from WWF-Pakistan responded that the solar panels have a capacity of 10 kW and can easily operate the 7.5 hp motor, even with less sunlight. The solar panels have Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) technology, which maximizes available sunlight to produce electricity.
“However, we will see in the winter season if there is a need to install an alternate electric meter connection,” told Dr. Ali.
2025 floods
According to Faizullah Faraq, Spokesperson of the Government of Gilgit Baltistan (GB), "Climate change-induced Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and cloudburst events are the reason behind the devastation caused by extreme weather events this year. From June 2025 till now, 45 people have lost their lives and 43 people are injured (in GB), which includes tourists as well. The GB government has faced losses worth PKR 30 million, which include losses to public and private property. The government is working on the rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure in Gilgit Baltistan."
According to Khadim Hussain, Director, Gilgit Baltistan-Environmental Protection Agency (GB-EPA), “Many displaced families (due to climate-induced extreme weather events) end up in informal settlements or temporary camps where housing is inadequate and access to clean water, healthcare, education, and sanitation is limited, which deepens their vulnerability. Migrants often lose their traditional livelihoods—such as farming, herding, and orchard cultivation—and are forced into insecure, low-paid jobs. Migration also disrupts family connections and community ties, while newcomers frequently face marginalization and discrimination in host areas. Children and women remain the most vulnerable groups.”
He further told that the vulnerable communities lose their standing crops, irrigation channels, orchards, and livestock, while also limiting their access to pastures and grazing grounds. This undermines water, energy, and food security. Children’s education suffers most, as new schools are often inaccessible or unwelcoming.
In the wake of climate disasters, such as the Attabad landslide in Hunza in 2010, “the affected communities were resettled to safer sites with the support of Agha Khan Development Network (AKDN) and donor agencies, while government authorities provided relief items and compensation for losses,” Hussain told.
He further informed that government institutions, NGOs, local communities, and volunteers generally provide immediate relief in the aftermath of disasters, including food supplies, temporary shelters, and essential items. “Authorities have also rehabilitated irrigation channels, drinking water sources, and other critical infrastructure. In some cases, permanent housing was provided. However, support is often short-term and insufficient to secure long-term stability and resilience,” he added.
When asked regarding the concerns of affected communities, Hussain told that they are concerned about “adequate housing, water, sanitation, healthcare, and education, and also fear further displacement due to recurring natural hazards. Loss of ancestral land and pastures has led to unstable incomes and growing financial insecurity. In resettled areas, migrants often feel marginalized and excluded from decision-making. These communities aspire to a safe and dignified resettlement with sustainable livelihood opportunities.”
Hussain warns that “the threat of recurrent disasters is high in Gilgit Baltistan and without comprehensive support systems, climate-induced migration in northern Pakistan is expected to rise exponentially, posing an existential risk to both people and property.”
The zero-carbon solar water pump installed by WWF-Pakistan is a beacon of hope for the communities of Darkut Colony, who call it their home. Climate-induced migration is affecting the social fabric of mountain communities and taking away their homes and belongings, fertile agricultural land, and their aspirations, among other things.
It is vital to provide crucial adaptation support to the mountain communities, such as those in Darkut valley, so that they are resilient to climatic impacts and do not migrate to other areas for safety. Initiatives such as solar water pumps can be replicated to other areas of northern Pakistan, where communities are facing challenges in accessing safe drinking water.
