ISLAMABAD: A galaxy of diplomats, top officials and foreign and Pakistani journalists had a breath-taking view of some of the world’s highest mountain peaks in an over two and a half hours’ sweep over the northern areas of Pakistan in a chartered PIA Boeing. The “Karakoram safari”, organised by the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, took the party from the magnificent Tirichmir in Chitral to awe-inspiring Nanga Parbat in the Himalayan mountain range after overflying the smoking “K-two”, world’s second highest peak.

Among others on board were Minister of Tourism Raja Tridev Roy. … Pakistan’s leading mountaineers, including Col Ataullah, gave a running commentary about the glorious spectacle below and around the plane in brilliant sunshine. The safari was arranged by the PTDC to acquaint, specially the foreign diplomats and journalists, with the hitherto unexplored northern regions of Pakistan. The flight took off from Islamabad airport at 12-30 p.m. and landed back around 3 p.m. after flying over the Kaghan Valley, Murree hills and Abbottabad. It started from Lahore where it brought some of the journalists who covered the Second Islamic Summit.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2024