PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) in collaboration with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cycling Association (KPCA) organized the All Pakistan Cycle Race in Orakzai to mark the World Tourism Day 2021 and boost tourism and sports in the merged districts.
The organizers had established a 17.5-kilometer track for the race between the lush green hills from the Ziara area to Kiawah Darra in the scenic Orakza tribal district. Over 34 cyclists from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab, and Ordnance Factory, Wah Cantt, participated in the event.
All the contestants vigorously pedaled the cycles to test their luck to clinch the top positions.
Yousaf, a cyclist from Peshawar, won the first position by covering the track within 30:52 minutes. Sadiqullah covered the track in 31:07 minutes and stood second.
Similarly, Imran from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa grabbed the third position by cycling for 31:08 minutes while Mohibullah from Balochistan won the fourth position
Commandant Orakzai Scouts Colonel Rai Kashif Amin was the chief guest while Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Khalid, KPCTA Project Director for Merged Districts Ishtiaq Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cycling Association president Nisar Ahmad and others attended the event.
Talking to the media, Ishtiaq Khan said that the KP government was striving hard to promote tourism in tribal districts and that holding the cycle race was the first step towards that end.
He said the spectacular event was arranged in Orakzai to introduce the tribal district as a tourism attraction to domestic and international tourists.
The official said that tourism, sports and other healthy activities would be launched in the merged districts soon.
