evidence: "We are trying to initiate a dialogue with the local people, but these are poor people," he said, noting that glaciers in the neighboring territory of Gilgit-Baltistan are also being sold off. Other scientists play down the threat, saying there are so many glaciers in Pakistan that it’s like taking water from an ocean. But even they admit that the sight of desperate families waiting to buy snow underscores the challenges facing this valley. [...] "People say global warming, but in fact, it's human activity" that most threatens the glaciers, said Abbasi, who has studied the effect of Pakistani and Indian military encampments on the shrinking Siachen Glacier in the Himalayan range near the disputed Kashmir region.