Over 4000 Balti men mostly subsistence farmers work the trails of the central Karakorum Mountains carrying bags for mountaineering and trekking groups. Balti families have supported adventure tourism in the Karakorum for the arrival of European travelers in the mid-19th century, in that time they have been called porters. KHURPA, Balti for porters,
Khurpa (Porter) Care Pakistan is a Skardu based n
ongovernmental organization working for the welfare of porters, tourism promotion and tourism related conflict resolution in the region of Gilgit-Baltistan. In addition Khurpa Care Pakistan is arranging seminars; workshops for awareness about ECO tourism, trainings for basic climbing & rescue, first aid, health & hygiene, environmental, save the glaciers, cleanup campaign, and expeditions since 2006. Most important task that KCP is doing in the region is the conflict resolution among the different stake holders of the tourism industry in Pakistan Particularly in Gilgit Baltistan, resultantly in 2007 there has been noticed that no conflicts accrued in the tourist sites and Baltoro region, for these kinds of conflict resolution the KCP has a proper mechanism and registration of guides, high & low altitude porters and cooks. From 2007 to 2009 KCP inspected Baltoro and Ghondoghoro la trek for inspection and collected near about 200 complain forms by climbers and trekkers. All forms were showing surprisingly a horrible thread for the future of the tourism, Eco Tourism and environment of the region. Moreover KCP has brought 38 dead bodies of donkeys, horses, mules etc, and disposed properly in Askoli. This specific activity Sponsored by Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection Agency (GB,EPA) and Tourism Department Gilgit Baltistan.
