FROM TRAINING PORTERS TO PROTECTING PEAKS, GALLO'S MISSION BLENDS SUSTAINABILITY, COMMUNITY UPLIFT & ECO-TOURISM IN PAKISTAN

· Maurizio Gallo is spearheading the creation of Gilgit-Baltistan’s first world-class mountaineering school to promote sustainable and eco-friendly tourism.
· His four-point action plan includes improving communication, skill certification, attitude transformation, and aligning with international mountaineering standards.
· Gallo has worked in Pakistan since 2004, introducing rescue systems, eco-toilets, and waste incinerators, yet waste management remains a major challenge.
· He views local porters as unsung heroes and is committed to empowering them through training, recognition, and Sherpa-style skill development.
· Despite bureaucratic hurdles and lack of infrastructure, Gallo continues his mission to protect mountain ecosystems and uplift mountain communities across Pakistan.

Mahtab Bashir

ISLAMABAD: High in the shadows of the world’s greatest peaks, where the air thins and silence dominates, a quiet revolution is underway - not of flags planted or records broken, but of knowledge shared and futures reshaped.

At the heart of this movement is Maurizio Gallo, an ecotourism visionary with the Italian organization EvK2CNR, who has devoted the past two decades to the untamed beauty and untapped potential of Pakistan’s mountain regions.

File photo of Maurizio Gallo 

While others come to conquer summits, Gallo comes to build from the ground up. With a deep respect for nature and a tireless commitment to the communities that live in its harshest corners, he is now leading efforts to establish Gilgit-Baltistan’s first world-class mountaineering school - a pioneering institution designed not only to elevate climbers but to anchor sustainable, eco-friendly tourism in the heart of the Karakoram.

For Gallo, a 70 years old from Italy, the mountain is not a place to leave footprints, but a place to build foundations. “The people who live and work here -especially the porters - are the true heroes of every expedition,” he says. “It’s time we gave them the tools, training, and recognition they deserve.”

Speaking to this scribe alongside a handful of journalists covering climate and environmental issues, Maurizio Gallo delivered his message with quiet urgency: the mountains are sending a distress signal- and we can no longer afford to delay. “The time to act is now,” he stressed.

Media persons with Maurizio Gallo. Regional Manager EvK2CNR, Arif Hussain, also seen in the picture.  

Gallo laid out a four-point action plan he believes is vital to reshaping the future of mountaineering in Gilgit-Baltistan: enhancing communication, certifying skills, cultivating a mindset of responsibility, and aligning practices with international standards. These aren’t just recommendations- they’re the foundation stones for building a sustainable, globally respected mountaineering culture in one of the world’s most majestic yet vulnerable regions.

Since 2004, EvK2CNR has been deeply involved in northern Pakistan’s environmental and tourism sectors -setting up eco-toilets at multiple high-altitude camps, developing rescue systems, installing waste incinerators, and launching training and awareness programs. But despite these efforts, Gallo concedes that waste management, especially in areas like Karakoram National Park, remains a major unresolved challenge.

He emphasizes that the mountaineering school will not only elevate technical skills and rescue readiness but also introduce Sherpa-style training and sustainable tourism practices that respect both the environment and local culture.

“Our work extends beyond mountaineering,” Gallo said, highlighting projects related to climate change, water resource management, and the preservation of natural and cultural heritage in collaboration with local stakeholders. EvK2CNR has also developed the management plans for both Karakoram and Deosai National Parks.

However, Gallo warns that barriers such as complicated permit systems, lack of basic facilities, unregulated mountaineering fees, and the absence of proper bylaws continue to hinder progress in ecotourism and cultural tourism. Even so, his determination remains unshaken.

He lamented that while Nepal proudly boasts 35 internationally certified porters accompanying mountaineers, Pakistan has yet to produce even one—a glaring gap in recognition and preparedness. 

With experience from similar initiatives in Nepal, Rwanda, and Italy, Gallo’s mission in Pakistan is not just about reaching summits -but about uplifting communities and protecting some of the world's most fragile, awe-inspiring landscapes for generations to come.

Mahtab Bashir is a passionate nature enthusiast, a journalist, and an M.Phil scholar at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad who can be reached at mahtabbashir@gmail.com or 0333 5363248.