Renewed Courage: Man resumes cycling tour

Provincial tourism department, Olympic association and Dubai NGO provided me sponsorship and funds, he says.

PESHAWAR: After being tortured in Afghanistan, Abdullah is planning to restart his cycle tour of 50 countries today (Wednesday) to spread the message of peace around the world and build a soft image of the country.

Addressing a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, Abdullah, a resident of Peshawar, said that he had been issued visas for Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Karighestan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Finland, Norway and Sweden, adding he would return for the remaining visas in Ramazan.

“The provincial tourism department, Olympic association and a Dubai-based non-governmental organisation have provided me sponsorship and funds,” he said.

Abdullah further said he started his tour last year, but was tortured in Jalalabad because he was carrying Pakistan’s flag, causing him to suspend the tour.

He also said that he would spend the remaining sponsorship money on education in the country because without quality education, no country can develop.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2013.