125 Mountaineering Expeditions in Pakistan this Year 
By Sarah Kamal 'Pakistan Times' Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: Owing to efforts made by the government to encourage tourism, a record number of 125 climbing expeditions are coming to Pakistan this year from all over the world.

Talking to a delegation of China-Tibet mountaineering team led by Sang Zhu, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Saturday said that steps are being taken to present Pakistan’s natural beauty particularly its challenging mountain ranges and its rich cultural heritage to the world in an attractive manner to realize the country’s true potential in the field of tourism.

Shaukat Aziz said Pakistan is proud of having high mountains, vast deserts and a long coastline, which make the country an attractive destination for both domestic and foreign tourists.

The Prime Minister congratulated the China-Tibet Mountaineering team on setting a world record of scaling all the 14 peaks in the world, including five in Pakistan, rising above 8,000 meters. The expeditions in Pakistan were carried out jointly by Pakistani and Chinese mountaineers.

He said the enviable success of Chinese team, attained after 14 years of consistent struggle, reflects their determination, resilience and resolve to be the best in the world.

The Prime Minister said Pakistani nation feels proud over this accomplishment of our Chinese friends.

Zhu told the Prime Minister that the landmark achievement took place on 12th of July, when seven mountaineers of the team accompanied by Pakistani climbers scaled the Gasherbrum-I peak of Pakistan, also called the Hidden Peak.

The Prime Minister said that mountaineering is a journey into excellence and is the ultimate test of a climber’s skill, stamina, commitment and determination.

He was apprised about the close cooperation that exists between the mountaineering communities of Pakistan and China in achieving successes since 1995.

The Prime Minister was told that China-Tibet Mountaineering Association and Alpine Club of Pakistan have undertaken joint climbing expeditions of all the 8,000 meters peaks of Karakoram and Himalayas in Pakistan.

Shaukat Aziz said that Pakistan welcomes mountaineers from other parts of world too. The government and Alpine Club will provide them all support to make their stay as comfortable as possible, he said.

Talking about Pakistan’s relations with China, the Prime Minister said that over the past five and a half decades our all-weather and time-tested friendship has become higher than the highest mountains and deeper than the deepest oceans.

There exists complete trust and confidence between the two countries as we have shaped our relationship on the eternal principles of peaceful co-existence and mutually beneficial cooperation, he said.

He said Pakistan is proud that China is hosting 2008 Olympic Games and wished the country every success.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Luo Zhaohui, Secretary Tourism, President Alpine Club Nazir Sabir and senior officials attended the meeting.●