The Ghanche District () is the easternmost district of the 14 districts of Pakistan-administered territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistan Army's brigade headquarters is located at Goma, Ghanche district. Pakistan Army's Gayari Sector Battalion Headquarters is west of Siachen Glacier. With its administrative headquarters in the historic city of Khaplu, the Ghanche District is famous as a tourist destination for its outstanding scenery and high altitude landscapes. Name The term Ghanche is a balti/ Tibetan word , The original word was 'gangs chay' where gangs means ' ice ' and chay means ' big'. Now gangschay has become ' ghanche' . Geography The Ghanche District is bounded on the north-east by the Kashgar Prefecture and the Hotan Prefecture of China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, to the south-east by the Leh District of Indian-administered Ladakh, on the south-west by the Kharmang District, on the west by the Skardu District, and on the north-west by the Shigar District. The Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) is located at the easternmost part of the Ghanche District, across the Saltoro Ridge. Territory east of the AGPL, including the entire Siachen Glacier, is currently controlled by India. It has been proposed by moderates in both India and Pakistan to turn the entire Siachen Glacier area into a "peace park". The area west of the Saltoro Ridge is controlled by Pakistan. The headquarters of the Ghanche District is the town of Khaplu. The Ghanche District is the coldest place within Pakistan and its administered territories and is referred to as the "third pole", with temperatures reaching below -20 °C in the winter. The Khaplu Valley and the Hushe Valley form the gateway for the great Baltoro Muztagh, the subrange of the Karakoram Mountains that includes the mighty peaks of K2 (8,611 m), Broad Peak (8,047 m), the Gasherbrums (8,000+ m) and Masherbrum (7,821 m),all of which are also included in the Skardu District). Etymology The word "gang" in the Balti language means "glacier", and '"che" is used as a superlative term to indicate "an abundance". The word is used by the residents of the Khaplu Valley in the name of the Ghanche Nallah, a seasonal stream which flows through the town of Khaplu during the summer season. When the Pakistani government elevated the status of the Ghanche Tehsil to that of a district, the people of the valley willingly selected the name "Ghanche". Administration The Ghanche District is divided