The alarming rate of cancer in Hunza/ Gilgit-Baltistan and ignorance of Government and NGOs

Writer: Furqan Ali Hunzai
A few days back I lost my young sister, she was fighting cancer for the past 5 years, I also witness the death of more than 7 young people because of Cancer in my neighborhood In population of 80-90 houses and dozens in a karimabad and much more in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Unfortunately, I noticed every second or third Cancer patient in Aga Khan hospital Karachi from Gilgit-Baltistan and don’t know how many patients in other hospitals.
Some 20 years back Hunza was totally different. Tall buildings, hundreds of hotels, shops, and myriad vehicles were just a dream for the people of Hunza.
Some days back I was lessoning to 80 years old local man. He was telling me about his life he was confessing that the voices of people murmuring in Barashal are easily heard in Buronshall (places in karimabad) , the flashlight of the camera in Thamo Than (prince palace) can easily be noticed at Gaymus and he ends up with the statement ” Dear son we were unfamiliar with these horrific diseases in or era. This rapidly increasing Cancer rate in Hunza is just because of development ” his closing statement was really weird for me, I was unable to argue I wasn’t sure whether to accept his opinion or not!
Basically, Hunza is famous for its beauty and for the organic food and pure Hunza water. Which was the reason for the long lives of the people of Hunza. But wait which organic food and water we are talking about? The spicy chicken nuggets, Biryani or Karahi, vegetable with spicy doping which we cook daily in our house?Or the food which we just sell to tourists, which is just to represent our culture? I spoke with an agency which I am not going to mention because of privacy, they told me that the worse food items are imported to Hunza from Rawalpindi and other regions which are brandless, cheap, and locally made, and we are buying those products and use in our food.
Rapidly growing cancer cases is the alarm for us that we are lacking something we are no more those Hunzukuz or GBians who lives 100 plus we are not those anymore about whom we love to hear from our elders (in fact there unbelievable heroic stories )our water is no purer nor our food.
Maybe food and water are a cause of cancer but I am really surprised and worried about the role of the government and NGOs why they are silent about this life-taking disease, why there isn’t single research about the root cause of increasing cancer in Gilgit-Baltistan particularly Hunza?
If the research was carried out then why it’s not public?
Why health care organizations are not taking interest in cancer awareness sessions?
This ignorance and unpredictable behavior is the reason for hundreds of deaths.
This is a humble request from the government and NGOs particularly AKDN and others to take serious action on this and help the people of Hunza to find the root cause of cancer.