GILGIT: Thirty-eight skiers from 12 countries arrived in Gilgit’s Naltar ski resort to participate in Chief of the Air Staff International Karakoram Alpine Ski Cup scheduled for Tuesday.

Located in the Kara­koram Range, Naltar is the oldest ski resort of Pakistan at 10,500 feet. It is situated 25 kilometres from Gilgit town, the capital of Gilgit-Baltistan. Sports competitions are organised on the Naltar snow during the winter season every year.

According a press release issued by the Pakistan Air Force on Sunday, 38 international skiers from all over the world would converge on the mighty Karakoram mountain ranges to participate in different categories of international ski races at the picturesque PAF Ski Resort in Naltar.

To mark the landmark event, the Winter Sports Federation of Pakistan has also released an exciting promo highlighting the electrifying and thrilling experience of this sport.

High-ranking international skiers from Greece, Afghan­­is­­tan, Turkey, Ukraine, Hong Kong, the United King­­dom, Bosnia and Herzego­vina, Belgium, Morocco, Kyr­­­gyz­stan, Azerbaijan and Tajikis­tan will be racing in slalom and giant slalom categories of the event.

Top national skiers from various regions and ski associations of the country will also be seen in action on the treacherous slopes of the Naltar ski resort.

Competing in the FIS (Federation of Inter­national Ski) races against the high-ranking international skiers would provide an excellent opportunity to Pakis­tani athletes to learn from their competitors and imp­rove their global standing.

The winter sports season has already commenced at the PAF Naltar with Saadia Khan and Children Ski Cup and Inter-varsity Champion­ships for men and women.

Besides skiing, snowboarding, ice-skating and ice hockey competitions were also held here for the first time.

The Winter Sports ­Fede­ra­tion of Pakistan, in collaboration with the Pakistan Air Force, is working for the promotion of winter sports in the country, and holding such events will not only boost the tourism industry in the magnificent ­mountains and valleys in the northern areas of Pakistan but also help in projecting a positive image of the country all over the world.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2019