Originally constructed by Kashmiri and Balti craftsmen and now converted into a hotel, the Khaplu Palace holds its traditional old school charm close with its modern innovations. The modern elements ensure comfort that a luxury resort requires. Renovated by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and now handed over to Serena Hotels to manage and run it as a hotel, the Khaplu Palace is a different world and its interior is a brilliant tribute to the legacy of Yabgo Raja Daulat Ali Khan of Khaplu who first built the palace in 1840.

On 8 October in Pakistan, the Gilgit-Baltistan government signed an agreement of partnership with the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) Pakistan to conduct a study for provision of drinking water to central Hunza where people have been hit hard by recent floods in Hassanabad and Ultar Nullahs. Using its rich experience around the design and implementation of water supply systems in mountain areas combined with its hazard risk assessment and overall habitat planning expertise, the AKAH will provide technical support to the government on this highly important study. Addressing on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Hunza Fayaz Ahmed hoped that the partnership with the AKAH will enable district administration to provide sustainable access to clean drinking water to 5,500 households.