ABBOTTABAD, Oct 28: Karakoram glaciers are rapidly melting due to increasing temperatures, which can cause flooding in the upper belt of the country`s northern areas, and therefore, it is the need of the hour to hold regional studies to promote sustainable mountain development in Hindukush Himalaya region.

This was the consensus opinion of researchers and scientists, who attended the opening day of a two-day Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) strategic workshop on `strengthening educational and research collaboration among HKH universities` here on Monday.

More than 50 scholars and eminent personalities from different universities from all over the world are taking part in the workshop is organised by Comsats Institute of Information and Technology, Abbottabad.

Welcoming participants, Comsats Pro-Rector Dr Haroonur Rasheed announced the establishment of `Mobility Fund` with the base contribution of Rs1 million for HUC.

He demanded frequent movement of students of Hindukush Himalaya region for postgraduate and PhD level programmes and of-fered 10 seats for PhD students among partner countries with combined supervision facility and research work.

Anja Moller Rasumssen, senior manager at International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Dr Mathisas Winiger (BonnGermany), Dr Martine Price (UK), Dr Long Ruijum (Tibetan University), Professor Bishal Sitaula (Norway) and Dr Philippus Wester, senior scientist at ICIMOD, spoke at length on engaging and mobilising academic institutions for sustainable mountain development.

They called for collaboration among academic institutions in HKH region to brace for challenges and opportunities among Himalayan University Consortium countries, transformation in education and research in changing climate and sustainable development.

The panelists said efforts should be made for more and more linkages among Hindukush Himalaya region countries with regional studies as the world was undergoing significant economic, cultural, political, demographic and environmental change.

They said special coursesfor students were suggested with emphasis on the topics on mountains.

The panelists called for betteryeteasyaccesstoacademic documents and capacity of professional scientists, especially youngsters, and said professional scientists should be provided with more and more opportunities to exchange their experiences and regional research papers.

They said Pakistan`s water resources were fast decreasing though currently, they were enough to meet the local agriculture and power sector requirements.

The panelists said in future, a long-term strategy and plan must be chalked out with forceful executing plan to prevent water scarcity.

Among others who presented their papers and took part in group discussions along with Pakistani experts were Long Ruijun (China) Dr Tarekul Islam (Bangladesh), Chowdhary Mohammad Tieb (Bangladesh), Dr Martin Price (UK), Chiranjibi Prasad Upadhyaya (Nepal), Dr Ingrid Nyborg (Norway), Dr Biashal Sitaula (Nepal), Philippus Wester (Netherlands), Anja M Rasmussen (Denmark) and Sudas Sharma (Nepal).