Karakoram Heliski: World top skiers to take part in “Pakistan Pure Discovery”
ISLAMABAD (APP): An eleven-member team of world’s top skiers arrived at Gilgit-Baltistan on Sunday to chip in a week-long Heliski event “Pakistan Pure Discovery”.
The event is being organized by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) in collaboration with Walkabout Films, the only film production company of the country focused on extreme sports events, wildlife and natural heritage.
It is a unique event as the international heli-skiers from across the globe will be skiing in the Karakoram mountain range in Pakistan, an area where no one has ever skied before.
Director General ISPR Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa told media that the purpose of the event was to showcase the spectacular beauty, challenging peaks and potential of extreme sports in northern areas of the country. “Spinoff for the event is to restore mountain tourism for international tourists in Pakistan and also bring peace and stability,” he said.
Bajwa said, “Pakistan Pure Discovery” was a set of Heliski events and very high-end documentaries that would hold the best that Pakistan has to offer.
He said Pakistan Army had taken the initiative to promote trekking and mountaineering and skiing in the country.
“These skiers belong to six different countries including France, Canada, Russia, Serbia, Ireland and Switzerland and most of them have volunteered themselves to come Pakistan and feature in the event,” he added.
Bajwa said that the skiing event would be organized every year on regular basis. He also invited country’s youth to come forward and participate in healthy activities of mountaineering and trekking.
All members of the Heliski team are certified and qualified professionals. Their team leader is Brice Lequetier of France.
In an otherwise all male team, the only woman is Samyra Rashid of Pakistan. She is not only among the first skiers to ever ski this territory, but will be the first woman to do so. She will also be the only Pakistani skiing with the team.
Wow , once again Pakistan Army to take a very positive step. We have some of the most beautiful locations on the world but no one knows of them … In Sha Allah we will have more of these events and soon Pakistan will be a very hot tourist destination .