Socio-Economic Impacts of Baltit Fort Restoration

Maryam Shah

Dedicating my last post also to my hometown, Hunza, to familiarize my colleagues with where I come from. Today I will talk about the sudden shifts in the socio-economic structure of the Hunza region, in light of one of the first touristic destinations. Hundreds of years ago, the Northern Areas of Pakistan was run by several small independent states. Hunza and Nagar were the famous rivals, facing each other, separated by the Hunza River. The rulers of Hunza Valley Initially resided in Altit Fort, but some family conflicts led one of the rulers to shift to Baltit Fort and it was declared as the seat of power of all Hunza region.

Location 

Baltit Fort is one of the remaining examples of influences of neighboring regions on the architecture, lifestyle, and customs of the Hunza Valley. The fort’s structure was influenced by the Ladakh/ Tibetan architecture and the whole region has ethnic and cultural resemblances to the Ladakh region in India. After its restoration in 1996, it has become one of the main tourist attractions of the region. It was the first built heritage site to be restored by Aga Khan Trust for Culture. The fort’s restoration led to the restoration and rehabilitation of the surrounding settlements, streets, market places, and other public places.

Baltit Fort from the East

The Fort was converted to a museum displaying ancient artifacts, living traditions, and influences of different cultures on the architecture over centuries. It is open all year round with an entry fee and aims to be self-sustaining and provide income for its employees, tour guides, and maintenance repairs.  
The way to Baltit Fort is through a steep street that passes through the old residential settlements which have been restored during the fort's restoration. It is a long and steep way with approx. 45 mins uphill to from the start to the end destination, the Fort. Increasing tourist influx brought with them the opportunity for the locals to set up their souvenir shops and eatery places. Almost every family has set up their small business along the way and benefit from thousands of visitors passing through every day. Traditional jewelry, handicrafts, caps, dry fruits, apricot, and walnut oil are the most popular souvenirs from the area. The area is famous as ‘Karimabad Bazaar’ in all of Hunza, and taking advantage of this, people have converted their own houses into guest houses for tourists claiming to provide them a unique experience of living in the area. The restoration and conversion of Baltit fort brought with it employment opportunities for the locals, directly and indirectly, but this has had its effect on the social life of the people as well. 

Karimabad Bazaar Street

The locals who used to work in their farms and orchards to make a living and sustain themselves with locally produced vegetables and fruits are now focused on converting their houses into guest houses, renting their farmlands to camping sites, and focusing on selling locally produced oils and dry fruit with high prices to the tourists. The outlook towards living a healthy life has changed, people have started focusing on comfort through economic stability. The street which leads the way to the fort used to be a social space for the elders and women of the community, and a play area for the children. People used to go out the street with a sense of comfort that comes by being around their people and socializing. Now with the tourists passing through the street all day long, stopping for rest or to buy souvenirs along the way, has caused the locals of the area to take a step back. They do not feel comfortable and the street’s character from a social space has turned into just a passage drastically. Many a time’s issues among the residents and tourists are noted concerning privacy in the closely-knit houses in the settlement.

Entrance to Baltit Fort

All in all, the restoration of Baltit Fort has changed the lifestyle of the locals, brought with it comfort and economic opportunities and the people are starting to experience new ventures in businesses and marketing. The people have shifted from working in farms in the difficult terrain to sitting in their shops or running hotels, and are living a comfortable life. Excessive tourism has brought with its economy and comfort but at the cost of privacy and comfortable communal living.