13,000+ glaciers put Pakistan on alert

Mettis Global reported on September 6, 2026 that Pakistan has 13,032 documented glaciers, plus some 3,000 glacial lakes, a figure that signals rising disaster risk as climate change alters the ice. Glacier researcher Dr. Anees Ahmad warned during a podcast programme that the country must direct more funds toward observation, warning networks, disaster facilities and public outreach to cut the chance of a major glacial disaster.

Dr. Anees said the glaciers are concentrated in the Hindu Kush, Karakoram and Himalayan ranges, with roughly 30 of them each covering about 50 square kilometres. The Hindu Kush area holds more than 2,500 glaciers and about 180 glacial lakes, while the Himalayan region has over 3,000 glaciers. He put the Karakoram's glacial ice at roughly 10,000 square kilometres, and said rising temperatures are changing the country's mostly debris-covered glaciers.

Dr. Anees also called for constant checks on glaciers and lakes, safe zones and tougher curbs on building beside riverbeds. He noted a shortage of weather stations, although several automated ones were installed at high altitudes with support from the Italian body Ev-K2-CNR. He cautioned against judging glacier health by surface area alone, arguing that volume should be measured too, and said communities in areas prone to glacial lake outburst floods must not be permitted to put homes back in high-risk zones.