What happened
Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Amjad Hussain and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi have agreed to open negotiations to settle the boundary disputes between the two regions, including those involving Shandur Top, Babusar Top and the areas around the Diamer-Bhasha and Dassu dams. The agreement came during a meeting between the two leaders in Islamabad on Sunday, and the chief secretaries will take the disputes up first, before their political leadership.
The same meeting also took up air connectivity to Gilgit-Baltistan. Representatives of the private airline South Air discussed introducing additional air services with the GB chief minister, and an official source told Dawn it was agreed that aircraft would be acquired on lease against a guarantee provided by the GB government, with South Air operating the flights under a joint-venture arrangement. The proposed service is expected to introduce weather-compliant aircraft on the Islamabad–Gilgit route.
The current service is thin: PIA operates a 44-seat ATR on the Islamabad–Gilgit route, and limited seating plus frequent weather-related cancellations has made air travel difficult for patients, tourists and officials who depend on it. Gilgit airport cannot accommodate larger aircraft, which further restricts options.
The boundary disputes themselves have repeatedly triggered tensions and violent clashes between communities along the disputed territories. Shandur Top — home to the world’s highest polo ground at around 12,500 feet — is claimed by both sides and is before a provincial boundary commission. Babusar Top, which links Mansehra with Diamer through Kaghan Valley, is another contested area whose ownership remains unresolved. A dispute between the Harban tribe of Kohistan and the Thor tribe of Diamer near the Diamer-Bhasha Dam was defused by a jirga in 2022, after a 2014 clash claimed five lives.
What it means for travellers
If South Air’s plan goes ahead, the Islamabad–Gilgit flight could become noticeably more reliable — weather-compliant aircraft and more seats would cut the cancellations that currently strand travellers and force last-minute switches to the long road journey. That is the single most practical travel takeaway from this story, and it is worth watching closely if you are planning a Gilgit-Baltistan trip.
The boundary talks are a longer, slower story. Nothing in the report changes where travellers can go today: Shandur Top and Babusar Top remain accessible as before, and the agreement is to negotiate, not a settlement. Travellers should still check local conditions and road status before setting off — Babusar closes in winter, and the dispute does not change that.
What to watch
- Whether South Air confirms a start date, schedule and fares for the Islamabad–Gilgit service — none were announced in this report.
- What “weather-compliant aircraft” means in practice for Gilgit’s mountain airport, and whether cancellations actually fall.
- Progress in the chief-secretary-level talks on Shandur Top, Babusar Top and the dam-area disputes.
- Any formal announcement from the GB government on the joint-venture arrangement.
Source: Dawn, “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan agree to settle old boundary disputes”
