The person behind the words

Hammad Gillani is a writer, social activist and climate advocate. His writing explores climate change, society, politics and the voices too often left unheard.

He grew up in a home shaped by books. His late father, an award-winning academic, nurtured an early curiosity that continues to inform how Hammad sees the world and writes about it.

His published opinion writing in Pakistan Observer examines water security, biodiversity, climate resilience and public responsibility. Alongside his writing, he has participated in climate marches, led awareness workshops and contributed to television and radio discussions.

Writing about climate and society

Hammad’s climate writing brings questions of policy back to the people who live with their consequences: workers exposed to extreme heat, families facing floods, communities dependent on clean water and children breathing polluted air. Pakistan is a recurring focus, alongside perspectives on the wider region and the world.

His essays also consider governance, development, tourism and the human and environmental consequences of conflict. Across these subjects, he is interested in how public choices shape ordinary lives.

Beyond the published page

His public work includes climate awareness, community engagement and collaborative research. He has contributed to publications on local government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and to the PTI AJK manifesto as a co-author and researcher, including service on its Manifesto Committee.

“I write to document reality as it is, clearly, honestly, and without noise.”

Read Hammad’s published work

Explore the Pakistan Observer author archive (opens in a new tab) and writing on Medium (opens in a new tab). English articles and a personal Urdu essay are collected on this website.

Also published and credited as Syed Hammad Ahmed Gillani · حماد گیلانی