William, Kate visit melting glacier in Pakistan's Hindu Kush mountain range

Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton on Wednesday visited a melting glacier in the Hindu Kush mountain range to witness the first-hand impact of climate change, which they are seeking to highlight in their trip to Pakistan. On the third day of their visit to the country, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge flew by helicopter to the northern tip of the Chiatibo glacier, where a climate change expert explained how it was retreating, the Express Tribune reported.

Chiatibo is one of the around 7,000 glaciers in Pakistan that meteorologists say are showing signs of melting, citing data gathered over the last 50 years. The South Asian nation has a total of 7,200 glaciers. Willian and Kate are on a five-day visit to Pakistan, described as the "most complex" trip undertaken by the couple to date.

Earlier, the Royal couple, both aged 37, stopped at an airport in the scenic valley of Chitral in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where they were gifted Pakol caps, a traditional feathered mountain hat, similar to the one gifted to William's mother Princess Diana during her visit to the area in 1991. They have also gifted a book of photos commemorating the trip of Princess Diana to the valley.

"Fantastic," the prince remarked as he sifted through the pages of the book. William was also given a white embroidered coat while Kate was given a warm shawl.

The royal couple's visit to Chitral and its surrounding Hindu Kush mountain range is part of their agenda to address climate change in the country, the report said. The couple also visited Bumburet village in Chitral region that was devastated in the 2015 flood and met with the survivors of the disaster. They also enjoyed performances of traditional dances and music by the local people. William and Kate arrived in Pakistan on Monday night on their maiden visit.

On Tuesday, they met Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi and also visited a girl's college in the capital and then Margalla Hills, where they attended an event regarding environmental protection. In the evening, they attended a glitzy reception, hosted by British High Commissioner to Pakistan Thomas Drew, at the National Monument where William, in his first official address, paid tribute to all the people who "endured sacrifice and helped build Pakistan to the country it is today".

Last week, Kensington Palace called the five-day trip "the most complex tour undertaken by The Duke and Duchess to date, given the logistical and security considerations". The visit, which will end on October 18, has been organized at the request of the United Kingdom's (UK) Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

This is the first royal tour to the country since 2006 when Prince Charles and Camilla, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, traveled to Pakistan. In 1990, Princess Diana, William's mother, visited Pakistan to participate in a fund-raising event for a cancer hospital built by Khan.