QUETTA, Sept 4: The London-Sydney Friendship motor rally 2005 left for Islamabad after an overnight stopover here on Sunday. Fifteen vehicles, including 12 vintage 1970 models of Jaguar, Mercedes, Pontiac, Porsche and Chevrolet, entered the Pakistan leg of the world tour on Saturday evening from the Iranian border town of Taftan. Thirty-five people were riding the vehicles.

The motor rally will reach Islamabad via Sibi, Sukkur, Multan and Lahore and then leave for China through the Khunjerab Pass via Besham, Gilgit and Gulmit.

The federal minister for tourism will receive the rally in Islamabad.

Officials of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) gave a warm send-off to the participants. A large number of people were present on the occasion.

Starting off from London on Aug 14, the rally has already cruised past France, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey and Iran. It will now make whistle-stop tours of China, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore before ending its journey in Sydney, Australia, on Nov 16. The rally will cover a distance of 27,615 kilometres.

The event is a precursor to the “Visit Pakistan Year 2006” announced by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.