Karimabad (Hunza)

Karimabad is the capital of Hunza in Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan. Karimabad is also known as Baltit. It is named after Prince Karim Aga Khan, the spiritual head of Shia Ismaili Nizari community. It is one of the most beautiful places in Pakistan and it swarms with tourists from all around the world during summers. It provides spectacular views of many beautiful mountains like Rakaposhi. The Guardian ranked it as the 4th Best Tourist Site in Pakistan.

Hunza valley lies almost midway between Gilgit and Sost (the last major Pakistani settlement on the Karakoram highway before the Chinese frontier). Baltit, the ancient capital of the now old state of Hunza, is part of the central Hunza Valley and dominates a zone of land clearly defined by Ulter Bar to the east, the Hyderabad Har to the west. Mount Ulter and its subsidiary range to the North and the villages of Ganish and Garalt, laying on the Karakoram Highway, to the south. This area (Baltit) 115 km north of Gilgit is now referred as Karimabad. Its altitude above sea level ranges from 2250 meters to 2850 meters. Karimabad includes Baltit (which comprised the two originally walled-in settlements of Khurukushal and Diramishal). It also includes the settlement that has lent the name Karimabad and which developed near the new palace of the Mir, constructed in 1923, as well as 14 villages between Ultar Bar in the east and Hyderabad Har to the west. Across the Hunza River just to the south of its confluence with Nagar River, lies the area of the old state of Nagar.

Despite the difficulties of access from the Karakoram Highway which it has been faced with until very recently, Karimabad continues to be an important part of the Hunza valley and in many ways challenges the growing economic strength of other towns in Hunza town. Baltit has been the centre of power ever since the Baltit fort was first constructed. In addition to Baltit, there have arisen several small villages in the Karimabad valley over the course of the last one hundred years. Karimabad is one of the most outstanding historic settlements in the Northern Areas. One of the many habitats located below the rugged Karakoram Mountains, it signifies human ability to tame an extremely hostile natural environment for the purpose of survival. Its topography and the nature of the soil dictated the layout of the built fabric and the man made cultivated terraces, while the settlement is located on rocky ground. Its cultivatable area was terraced thousands of years ago to create meandering agriculture fields, orchards and meadows. The houses and the retaining walls of the cultivated terraces have been constructed with the use of local materials (mainly stone), which helps in creating a perfectly harmonious balance with its natural surroundings.

Proper Karimabad is the most recent settlement in the Baltit area. It began as a small group of houses just below the bazaar near Hilltop Hotel. Unlike the old settlement of Khurukushal Khun and Diramishal Khun near the Fort, this settlement appears not to have housed many farmers and appears to have consisted mainly of the Mirs court and their employees. This newer settlement has now expanded, in the form of a main bazaar, to well beyond the area around the Mir's 1923 residence and stretches right up to the settlement near the Baltit Fort. In fact, Karimabad now lends its name to the larger valley of Baltit including other settlements such as Brongshal, Barashal, Ghaimash, Mominabad and other smaller settlements lower down the valley along the Smarkand Kool; the main channel which is connected to the Ulter Stream on the east side of Karimabad. The people of Karimabad are comprised traditionally of four distinct tribal or clan communities, namely the Diramiting, the Khurukutz, the Barataling and the Brong. There is a fifth community, the Beryricho. In the past however the Beryrichos provided servants, handymen, smith and musicians and were considered a service class. Majestically dominating the valley and Baltit settlement, the Fort is located on the rocky upper level of the Hunza hill, below this Fort lies the old settlement known as Khurukushal Khun; The Polo ground and the Bazaar area are physical testimonies of Karimabad historic past as well as its continuing cultural development.

The second capital of the Hunza State and the earliest surviving model of the Hunzakut settlements, Karimabad later became the capital of the Ayasho rulers. Karimabad's architecture, the outstanding physical layout of the early fortified city and other colonial period developments are evidence of its historic socio-political/cultural history. The settlement and its cultivated terraces are an eloquent proof of the creativity and human effort that has been put in to building a habitat amidst an unfavorable geography.

The settlement importance increased when the Ayasho rulers shifted the capital to Karimabad. It is under going changes since the building of KKH, the socioeconomic development of its residents, the increasing pressure of population growth and the influx of tourism. Majority of the community have moved out of the two old settlements (Khurukushal and Diramishal). During the restoration of Baltit fort in 1995, the up gradational projects were carried out in both the settlements, in which streets were paved; sanitation facility was provided in both the settlements. The architectural and historical value of communal spaces, residential and religious buildings was also rehabilitated and these projects have enhanced the environmental condition of the settlement. With the increase of population the community had began to build houses outside the settlement in the fields and gardens. The traditional construction technique declined with the introduction of concrete blocks; the use of concrete blocks is becoming a contemporary tradition and the ratio of this tradition is increasing in (the premises) of Karimabad. This can be seen in the newly construction of the residential and commercial spaces.

The Karimabad Town Management Society (with AKCSP technical assistance) is engaged in providing sanitation to the whole of Karimabad (and Ganish as well), while also making efforts to get legislation enabling if to ensure adherence to proper town planning.

First of many rehabilitated old houses

One of the stepped 'vertical alleyways', after introduction of sewerage channels and proper flagstone paving. To its left, a restored old mill making use of a descending water channel

Residents participating in the village upgrading by digging channels for the sanitation system under the narrow alleyways, later to be covered by stone steps and flagstone pavements