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This proposal is designed to be presented as a heritage preservation strategy. Listen to what our Imam said in his Speech at the TMS Meeting at Baltit Fort, 25.9.96:
“There are two ways of working, one with one's head only, and the other is to work with one's head and one's heart.”
I. Mission Statement
The mission of the HLSI is to protect the ancestral lands of the Hunza Valley from unplanned commercialization, ensure the preservation of agricultural livelihoods, and provide equitable access to land for housing and local entrepreneurship through permanent community stewardship.
PROJECT PROPOSAL: The Hunza Land Stewardship Initiative (HLSI)
To: [TMS;s/ Regional/Local Councils / GB Government Department]
From: Hunza Development Forum
Subject: Proposal for a Community-Led Land Bank and Trust to Manage Sustainable Growth in Hunza.
1. Executive Summary
Hunza is experiencing an unprecedented surge in tourism and infrastructure development. While this brings economic opportunity, it also leads to:
* Loss of Agricultural Land: Orchards are being converted into concrete hotels.
* Land Speculation: Rising prices are making land unaffordable for local youth.
* Unplanned Growth: Construction is happening without proper sewage, water, or aesthetic planning.
The HLSI proposes the establishment of a Community Land Bank to acquire, hold, and lease land strategically, ensuring that Hunza’s development remains in the hands of its people while protecting its natural beauty.
2. Objectives
* Prevent Fragmented Development: Consolidate small plots to allow for master-planned infrastructure.
* Ensure Permanent Local Ownership: Use long-term leases instead of outright sales to prevent "land grabbing" by outside investors.
* Preserve Food Security: Protect the "Green Belts" and traditional irrigation (Kuhls) from encroachment.
* Generate Local Revenue: Create a self-sustaining fund for village-level social services (education/healthcare).
3. The Proposed Model: "The Green Lease"
Instead of the current model where land is sold and control is lost forever, the HLSI will operate as follows:
* Land Pooling: Residents "deposit" their land into the Bank.
* Unified Planning: The Bank creates a professional master plan (identifying where the road, sewage, and trees will go).
* Equitable Returns: If a hotel is built on a portion of the banked land, the profits/rent are shared among all community members who pooled their land, even if the hotel isn't on their specific original plot.
4. Implementation Phases
Phase I: The Pilot Mapping (Months 1–4)
* Identify a target area (e.g., a specific "Mohallah" or village section).
* Conduct a GIS Digital Map of ownership, water channels, and soil fertility.
* Hold "Jirgas" (community meetings) to build trust and explain the "Lease vs. Sale" benefit.
Phase II: Legal & Institutional Setup (Months 5–8)
* Register the Land Trust as a legal entity under the GB Trust Act.
* Form a Board of Directors (LSO members, women’s organization reps, and technical experts).
* Draft the Standard Ground Lease Agreement.
Phase III: The "Bank" Opening (Months 9–12)
* Acquisition of the first communal or donated plots.
* Call for "Sustainable Development Proposals" (e.g., eco-lodges, community centers).
5. Expected Outcomes
| For the Government | For the Local Resident | For the Environment |
| Easier infrastructure rollout (roads/electricity). | Guaranteed long-term income from leases. | Zero construction on fertile orchard land. |
| Controlled, taxable commercial growth. | Retained ownership for future generations. | Modernized waste/water management. |
6. Resource Requirements
* Technical: GIS mapping experts and urban planners. Alternately use the data compiled by AKCSP.
* Legal: Experts in GB land revenue laws.
* Financial: Initial seed funding for "Right of First Refusal" purchases (could be sourced from government grants or international climate funds).
7. Conclusion
The current trend of selling land for one-time payments is a "short-term gain for a long-term loss." By establishing a Land Bank, Hunza can transition from accidental development to intentional growth, ensuring that the valley remains prosperous, green, and owned by its descendants.
Land banking is a strategic real estate and planning tool where an entity (government, community, or private developer) acquires and holds land for future use or development.
In a sensitive and unique region like Hunza, land banking can serve as a shield against unplanned commercialization while ensuring that the benefits of development remain within the local community.
1. What is Land Banking?
There are two primary ways to look at land banking, and they have very different goals:
* Public/Community Land Banking: A "Land Bank" is a non-profit or governmental entity that acquires vacant, abandoned, or underutilized land to repurpose it for community needs like affordable housing, parks, or public infrastructure. Its goal is stabilization and community benefit.
* Private/Investment Land Banking: Developers buy large tracts of undeveloped land in the path of anticipated growth. They hold it until the value increases or until they get "entitlements" (permissions) to build. Its goal is profit.
2. Implementation in Hunza: The Context
Hunza faces unique challenges: extreme topography, scarce agricultural land, and a sudden surge in tourism-driven development. Implementing land banking here requires a Community-First Model.
A. Historically, much of the land in Hunza was Communal Land
. Recent legal reforms (around 2025) have started shifting this land back to communal ownership. A community land bank could manage these "new" communal lands to prevent them from being sold off piece-meal to outside speculators.
B. Strategic "Land Readjustment"
Because the terrain is mountainous, land is often fragmented into small terraces.
* How it works: Multiple small landowners "pool" their land into a single "bank."
* The Benefit: The community can plan a proper road, drainage, and utility system for the whole area rather than each person building a hotel that blocks their neighbor’s view or water access.
C. Preservation of Agricultural Identity
Hunza’s food security depends on its orchards. A land bank can be used to:
* Freeze Development: Buy development rights from farmers so they get paid the "real estate value" of their land but are legally required to keep it as an orchard forever.
* Zoning Control: The land bank ensures that hotels are built only on non-arable rocky patches, saving the fertile soil.
RELATED:
Karakoram in Transition: Culture, Development and Ecology in the Hunza Valley
