Peace walk participants get warm welcome in Mansehra

MANSEHRA: Participants of a peace walk, comprising 12 mountaineers, reached the district on Thursday after covering a distance of 850 kilometer on foot.
The participants of Skardu-Islamabad walk were extended a warm welcome on arrival at the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital. Doctors and students of Frontier Medical College led by Medical Superintendent Dr Naeem Awan showered rose petals on them.
The peace walk, started from Ghanche district in Gilgit-Baltistan on March 13, would end in the federal capital after covering a distance of 1000km.Speaking on the occasion, Ghulam Hussain, spokesman for the campaigners, said that 12 mountaineers were on the peace walk to give a message of interfaith harmony to people in Pakistan and entire world.
“We feel that world is a place of peace and brotherhood but people with vested interest want to disturb peace, which is unacceptable to us and this is why the world’s renowned mountaineers are on this peace walk,” said Ghulam Hussain.
He said that Hassan Jan, who twice summited K-2 once without oxygen, was leading the mountaineers in the walk.The mountaineer said besides Hassan Jan, another participant, Ghulam Mahdi, was also having the same distinction of summiting K2 and other high mountains in Northern Areas of the county.
Ghulam Hussain said that all other participants were also having the distinction of summiting five major peaks of over 8,000 feet height in Gilgit-Baltistan.Speaking on the occasion, Dr Naeem Awan said he and the students were glade to receive the activists of peace and love.
Dr Naeem said that hiking and mountaineering were healthy activities and students and youth should be involved in these activities.The mountaineers, who spent a night at Shinkiari, reached Mansehra. They later proceeded ahead on journey after the welcome programme.