24 July 2004	Saturday	06 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

LAHORE, July 23: On a peace mission from Islamabad to New Delhi, a Kazakh cyclist arrived here on Friday. Tugelbek Kassymov, 59, has been making international solo cycle trips to various countries of Europe , former Soviet states and Central Asia for the last 22 years.

He began his journey on July 6, cycling his way from Baku (Azerbaijan) to Tehran from where he flew to Islamabad via Karachi. He left the federal capital early on Friday morning and reached the city later in the afternoon.

A teacher of mathematics at a school in the Central Asian Republic of Kazakhastan, the amateur cyclist will end his trip at Mumbai (India) tentatively on Aug 28. "The Islamabad-Lahore-Delhi route will remain the centre of my attention in my mission to promote goodwill among nations," said Kassymov.

The cyclist said that he has dedicated his trip, sponsored by his country's tourism department, to the 13th Independence day of Kazakhastan and 15th anniversary of International Anti-Nuclear Movement. -APP