25 Skiers From Nine Countries To Chip In Int'l Alpine Ski Cup

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Jan, 2017 ) : The exhilarating winter sport of skiing is returning to the picturesque valley of Swat as the enchanting resort of Malam Jabba braces to host the Malam Jabba International Alpine Ski Cup from Thursday.

It is a landmark event as 25 skiers from nine countries including India, Morocco, Slovakia, Greece, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Turkey, Ukraine and Tajikistan will be racing in different categories of this thrilling sport, the spokesman of Ski Federation of Pakistan, Obaid-ur-Rehman Abbasi told APP on Wednesday.

He said top 25 national skiers from various regions and ski associations of the country would also showcase their talents in the long awaited event. "Competing in the FIS races against the highly ranked skiers of the world would provide an excellent opportunity to Pakistani athletes to learn from their competitors and improve their standing in the world," he said.

He said the government of Pakistan and Ski Federation of Pakistan under the auspices of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had decided to bring this exciting winter sport back to the scenic resort after a successful operation against the extremists in the valley.

All sports activities were ceased due to the military operation against these anti-state elements. The resumption of ski activities would not only boost the tourism in the region but also portray the positive image of Pakistan on the international canvas, he added.