ISLAMABAD, Dec 5: The government has formally accepted the demand of the tour operators to extend the 50 per cent reduction in mountain royalty for the next two years, a source told Dawn on Thursday.

The decision to extend the concession up to 2004 was taken at a high level meeting at the Tourism Ministry on Wednesday, which was attended by major tour operators.

The concession was initially given to mountaineers for the year 2002 to celebrate “The International Year of Mountains”, he said.

Appreciating the decision, Nazir Sabir, a veteran mountaineer and the first Pakistani who conquered the Everest in 1999, said: “I am satisfied with the decision as it was my proposal to extend the concession to attract the mountaineers and provide some relief to the local tour operators who were badly affected after the 9/11 incident”.

This decision will send a positive message to the mountaineering community around the world about normalization of security in Pakistan after the peaceful elections and restoration of democracy, he added.

“Another motive”, the Pride of Performance Presidential award winner mountaineer said, “is to celebrate the golden jubilee of the first ascent of Nanga Parbat and K-2 in 2003 and 2004 respectively by offering maximum incentive to the climbers around the world”.

He hoped that the mountaineering community and “our business associates will draw the utmost benefit of this unique opportunity and join us in 2003 and 2004 to celebrate the Golden Jubilees of the two greatest mountains on earth.”

Other incentives like simplifying of trekking and climbing procedures, easy availability of visas etc were also discussed at the meeting.

Under the new peak royalty structure $6,000 will be charged from a 7-member group of mountaineers for the expedition of over 8600m peaks, an additional fee of $1000 will be charged from an additional member of the group.

For peaks of 8000m-8500m the reduced fee will be $4500 for a 7-member group and an extra $750 will be charged from the additional member.

The royalty for peaks with height ranging from 7501-8000m will be $1250 and an extra $250 will be charged from an additional member.

The fee for peaks with altitude from 7001-7500m will be $750 for 7-member expedition and an extra $150 will be received from additional member of the group.

The rate of royalty for peaks with height from 6001-7000m will be $750 and an extra $100 will be charged from an additional member, the decision said.