KARACHI, Nov 14: An eight-member Afghanistan cycling squad arrived here on Friday to compete in the 14th Tour de Pakistan cycling championship.

The event starts from the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam on Sunday and the first stage covering 153km distance concludes in Hyderabad.

The race consists of 11 stages and it will pass through some major cities of Sindh, Punjab and the NWFP covering distance of 1,655 kilometres before culminating in Peshawar on Nov 28.

According to the organisers, Iran, India and Nepal have pulled out of the competition while cyclists from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are expected to arrive on Saturday.

Afghan cyclists:

Hashmatullah Barakzai, Mohammad Zaman, Mohammad Tamim Qureshi, Fazle Khuda Rehmani, Ahmed Zaki Farooqi, Naseer Ahmed Noori.

Officials: Abdul Sadiq (manager); Abdul Qadir (coach).—APP