en years on from the country`s worst recorded earthquake, Pakistani universities have been researching into the chances of future shifts in the active tectonic plates on which our country lies. But, one professor says they lack proper labs and funds to carry out effective research.

Pakistan is particularly prone to earthquakes as it lies over the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates and is likely to experience violent tremors where the two plates collide.

Dr Mona Lisa, who is associate professor at the Department of Earth Sciences at Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), is conducting research on the probability of earthquakes in Pakistan.

She said Pakistani universities had not been able to produce any significant research on the subject.

`The biggest problem for universities here is that they don`t have proper earthquake recording equipment or labs.` She said labs can record real time data which was very important for researchers to be able to determine the probability of major earthquakes.

Dr Lisa said the Higher Education Commission had approved Rs14 million for the QAU to establish labs but the university would require more than that sum to build a proper lab.

Talking about the possibilities of earthquakes in Islamabad, Dr Lisa said most of the capital`s buildings were located on the main, active faultline which passes through Islamabad, Murree, Kashmir and then on to India.

She said, `Unfortunately, buildings in Islamabad are not earthquake resistant and the buildings in Murree are ever riskier.