KIU and China’s IMPLAD Seal Long-Term Partnership on Himalayan Medicinal Plant Research

Independent Report

ISLAMABAD — Karakoram International University (KIU) has entered a long-term scientific partnership with China’s Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD) to advance research, conservation and pharmaceutical development involving medicinal plants from the Himalayan, Karakoram and Hindukush ranges.

Signed by KIU Vice Chancellor Engr. Prof. Dr. Attaullah Shah and IMPLAD’s Prof. Dr. Chang Liu, the agreement runs through 2030 and includes joint research on traditional healing practices, chemical profiling, biodiversity preservation and genomic studies.

KIU will establish a Biodiversity Conservation Center, Seed Bank and Genome Bank at its main campus under the partnership. Student and faculty exchanges in phytochemistry, genomics and taxonomy are also planned.

Dr. Shah called the collaboration a milestone for Gilgit-Baltistan, saying it strengthens both scientific research and conservation of ancestral healing knowledge. Prof. Liu described the shared mountain ranges as “one of the world’s richest reservoirs of medicinal plants,” adding that the partnership aligns with CPEC and Belt and Road scientific cooperation goals.

Field expeditions are scheduled to begin in 2026, with groundwork for conservation facilities commencing next year.