First river-rafting voyage along Indus held

Islamabad : The first-ever river-rafting voyage along the entire course of the Indus River has culminated in the Arabian Sea.

The team led by adventure travel filmmaker Wajahat Malik and comprising ABM Faisal, Farman Ahmed, Sanif Jamal, Atif Amin, Sultan Karim, Afia Salam and Lt Commander Babar Nisar Khan rafted 2,300 of the 3,180 kilometres of the entire Indus. It studied the ecological, environmental and socioeconomic impact of urban life on the water body that sustains all the life in Pakistan.

The 45-day event, Expedition Indus, was held under the Serena Hotels’ Adventure Diplomacy initiative. It began at Hamzigond in Kharmang district of Gilgit-Baltistan and ended at the Karachi Port.

CEO Aziz Boolani said, “We are committed to protecting the environment, through its numerous efforts towards conserving water, recycling and achieving energy efficiency including ISO certification. We believe in addressing climate change and highlighting the need for better practices to save the planet. This expedition is yet another declaration of commitment to raising awareness for those hardest hit by climate change and global warming.”

He said the Serena had always been a strong proponent of adventure sport, testing physical strength and passion.

“Supporting brave adventurers like Samina Baig, Sirbaz Khan, and now Wajahat Malik inspires and strengthens our Adventure Diplomacy Initiative and raises focus on the environmental crises the world is dealing with,” he said.