SKARDU: Pakistan’s northern scenic Gilgit-Baltistan region is world-famous for its snow-capped peaks, glistening lakes and glaciers, and plucky climbers.
Located on the confluence of the world’s three greatest mountain ranges, Gilgit-Baltistan has long been one of the favorite destinations of international climbers and trekkers, but the South Asian country is yet to exploit the region’s untapped tourism potential to its maximum advantage, mainly because of poor infrastructure and other facilities.
Yet the region has produced several internationally recognized mountaineers and high-altitude porters, including Samina Baig, the first Pakistani woman to scale the world’s tallest peak, Mount Everest, Nazir Sabir, the first Pakistani to scale the world’s second highest mountain, K2, the iconic high-altitude mountaineer Mohammad Ali Sadpara, and Sirbaz Khan, the first local climber to ascend 13 out of a total 14 peaks above 8,000 meters (26,247 feet) high.
A new addition to this long list is five-year-old Mohammad Shiraz, who has emerged as a new ambassador of its kind to promote the region’s indigenous beauty together with daily challenges the locals have to grapple with, including the internet.
Shiraz, a grade 1 student, recently joined YouTube as well as Facebook and Instagram, where he uploads his daily activities, showcasing the raw village life of the picturesque northern region, which borders China.
Within a month, his social media attempt has snowballed him into a celebrity, taking the internet by storm, with his fan following traversing borders and winning hearts in diaspora communities as well.
Hailing from Ghursay, a small village of 2,000 people, and perched on the foothills of Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield, Shiraz takes his viewers on a journey through swinging stony streets and Persian style houses, aside from introducing them to local festivals and celebrations.
“I want to show the beauty of my village and local life to the outside world. I just like it, “ Shiraz told Anadolu when asked what propelled him to join YouTube.
His father, Mohammad Taqi, who is also a vlogger, is Shiraz’s inspiration.
“I did not teach or encourage him to do that because he is too young for that. It’s just his own decision and action. I just helped him a bit,“ Taqi said, while speaking to Anadolu.
Shiraz uploaded and released his first vlog last month and has already grabbed tens of thousands of subscribers and a YouTube Silver Play Button.
His broken Urdu and simple but playful storytelling style add further value to his vlogs, which go beyond the ubiquitous beauty of the region and serve as a window for viewers to peek into the daily life of the region, located in the eastern Karakoram mountain range in the Himalayas.
