District Kohistan was only opened to the outside world with the completion of the Karakurum Highway in the mid 1970s. However, valleys such as Palas still remain remote from modern-day Pakistan. Consequently, even prior to the devastating 1992 floods, infrastructure in Palas was primitive. No roads penetrated the interior and the few ‘kacha' roads were often closed by land-slides. Access to almost all villages was only by foot, with the more remote villages lying 2-3 days' trek from the road-head. Few ways were suitable for pack animals, most arduous, even perilous, for people. Obstructed by bluffs, the arterial Bar Palas footpath crossed the torrential Musha'ga several times. Bridges, traditional cantilever structures of wood and stone, were often dangerous, vulnerable to seasonal floods and often had to be rebuilt. Paths and bridges were built and maintained by the community, using the simplest implements, without external assistance. This basic communications network nonetheless provided vital passage for the daily and seasonal movements of people and livestock, for access to goods and services, and for the export and sale of local produce.

Palas has a largely traditional subsistence economy with a very low development status. Most Palasis, of both landowning and non-landowning groups, live in poverty.

There is little existing infrastructure in Palas, almost all construction is ‘kacha'. There are two roads - Pattan-Sharial Nallah(c. 22km), Pattan-Sherakot (c. 20km) - but most settlements remain between one and three days' walk from the road-head. Pathways, including the arterial Bar (Upper) Palas pathway, are mostly in poor condition and arduous. There are several primary schools, but teachers are rarely present. There are a few dispensaries in Palas, but medical supplies are very limited; the nearest doctor is in Pattan. There is no tapped drinking water, no electricity or gas supply. There is a single Forest Rest House at Sherakot, Kuz Palas.

 

Damaged School

Agricultural infrastructure in Palas before the floods was equally primitive, and consisted of ‘kacha' irrigation channels cut into the earth or traversing cliff-faces in hollowed logs, often several kilometres in length, and simple water-mills for grinding the staple maize grain.

As mentioned previously, the 1992 floods in Palas destroyed land and villages caused great damages to the already inadequate infrastructure. All foot-bridges and a 40 km stretch of the arterial Bar Palas footpath were destroyed, together with intakes of all irrigation channels on major rivers and c.70% of the valley's watermills. The damages led to a temporary food crisis, undermined the fragile subsistence economy, and precipitated the departure of many families.