PESHAWAR: First ‘Tour de Waziristan’ cycling race will start on November 28 from Dera Ismail Khan and will end on November 30 in Wana, South Waziristan in which more than 50 cyclists from across Pakistan would participate.
Addressing a news conference, the Project Director of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority Ishtiaq Khan said that the race is being organised in collaboration with Pakistan Cycling Federation, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cycling Association, Frontier Corps, and district administrations of South Waziristan and DI Khan.
Read more:
KP govt organises cycling competition in Orakzai tribal district
Promoting tourism: Paragliding competition concludes at Chitral
KP launches operation to clear British-era track for safari train
He said that the aim of the race is to promote tourism and attract youth towards healthy activities. Ishtiaq Khan said that the Chief Minister was taking steps for the promotion of tourism and sports in the tribal districts of the province.
Speaking on the occasion, President of KP Cycling Association Nisar Ahmed said that cyclists from the four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Pakistan Ordnance Factory and Baltistan Cycling Academy would participate in the race. He informed that the first stage of the race will start from Dera Ismail Khan on November 28 and will be completed at Tank covering a distance of 69 km. The second stage of the race will begin from Tank and will end at Gomal Zam Dam after covering a distance of 68 km.
The third and final stage of ‘Tour de Waziristan’ race will start on October 30 at Gomal Zam Dam and will end at Wana, South Waziristan after covering a distance of 52 km. He said that cyclists participating in the race will cover a total distance of 189 km in three stages. Prize money of Rs300, 000 has been set aside for the winter of the race.
Earlier, a successful bicycle race was also held in Orakzai tribal districts. The officials said that following the successful project of camping pods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, these projects will now be shifted to merged districts. A survey of various places has been completed to provide resting places, tourist spots and other facilities for tourists in tribal districts.
