The SAARC Car Rally reached the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on the second day of its Pakistan leg today. The Rally had, yesterday, crossed over into Pakistan at the Wagah border to a warm welcome by Pakistan officials and schoolchildren. Federal Minister for Tourism, Ms Nilofar Bakhtiar and Mian Aslam Iqbal, Minister of Tourism of the Punjab province, were present to welcome the rallyists to Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms Bakhtiar said that events such as the SAARC Car Rally would not only give a boost to tourism between the SAARC countries but would also improve cooperation and business between the member countries. Mian Aslam Iqbal said that such events would give encouragement to tourism both within the province as well as the country as a whole.

After an overnight stay at Lahore, the Rally moved to Islamabad. Enroute, the rallyists visited the Khewra Salt Mines, the largest salt mines in the world. The entire 350 kms stretch from Lahore to Islamabad was covered on the six lane motorway that was built in 1993-94 to connect the two cities. The motorway led the rally through the Salt Range, an area of great natural beauty and a rich variety of minerals.

From Islamabad, the Pakistan capital nestling against the backdrop of the Margalla hills, the foothills of the Himalayas, the rallyists visited Taxila, one of the subcontinent’s archaeological treasures and once an important city of the Gandhara kingdom. The history of Taxila, at a distance of around 30 kms from Islamabad, spans over a 1000 years and was the site of one of the best known ancient universities on the sub-continent.

Sourced From: Confederation of Indian Industry