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PESHAWAR: A nine-member mountaineering team has successfully climbed the 6,050-metre Thalo Zom peak in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The achievement is being seen as an important milestone for mountaineering and adventure tourism in the province. The team completed the difficult expedition after spending eight days on challenging mountain routes. The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Authority said Thalo Zom is one of the most difficult and less frequently climbed peaks in the Hindu Kush mountain range. Its difficult terrain makes the climb demanding even for experienced mountaineers. The expedition started on July 9. The team continued its journey through difficult mountainous terrain before reaching the summit on July 17. After reaching the top, the mountaineers raised the national flag. The moment marked the successful completion of a challenging expedition in one of the region’s difficult mountain areas. The climbers had to pass through difficult routes in Kumrat and Chitral during the expedition. The journey involved steep and rugged terrain. The team also crossed glaciers and areas containing deep cracks in the ice. Glacial crevasses can make high-altitude expeditions particularly dangerous. Mountaineers must carefully choose their routes while crossing such areas. The difficult conditions required careful planning and sustained effort from the team. The eight-day expedition tested the climbers as they moved through remote and challenging parts of the Hindu Kush. The successful ascent also highlights the potential of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for adventure tourism. The province is home to several high-altitude mountains and remote valleys. The region’s mountainous landscape attracts climbers and adventure enthusiasts. However, many peaks remain difficult to access because of their rugged terrain and limited routes. The Tourism Authority said Thalo Zom has a notable history in international mountaineering. Australian climbers first reached the summit in 1971. The peak was climbed again in 2019 by Italian mountaineers. The latest expedition adds another successful ascent to the mountain’s history. The achievement also draws attention to the broader tourism potential of Kumrat and Chitral. Both areas are known for their mountainous landscapes and challenging terrain. Successful mountaineering expeditions can help promote lesser-known destinations among domestic and international adventure tourists. They can also bring greater attention to the natural attractions of the province. The latest climb demonstrates the determination and endurance required to reach high-altitude peaks. The team had to overcome glaciers, steep routes and dangerous ice formations during the journey. The successful ascent of Thalo Zom is therefore more than a mountaineering achievement. It also showcases the natural beauty and adventure tourism potential of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Mohiuddin Ahmad Wani has unveiled an ambitious three-to-five-year roadmap aimed at rebuilding Pakistan’s national sport from the grassroots level and restoring the country’s competitiveness on the international stage. The plan comes at a difficult time for Pakistan hockey. The national team’s defeat against England in its opening match of the 2026 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup has once again raised questions about the sport’s decline and the team’s ability to compete with the world’s leading sides. Wani said the federation wanted to move away from short-term decisions and instead build a sustainable system that could continuously produce quality players. “Our priority is not just to win one tournament but to rebuild the entire hockey ecosystem,” he said. Under the proposed system, young players would progress through school, district, provincial and national competitions before entering the senior setup. The PHF says the pathway will be based on merit, allowing talented players to rise through the ranks regardless of their background. The federation also plans to draw lessons from successful hockey systems in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and India. Greater emphasis will be placed on modern coaching, professional training methods and improved infrastructure. A major target is to increase the number of astro-turf facilities across Pakistan from the existing 52 to 100 within five years. The proposed facilities would not merely provide playing surfaces but also host coaching programmes, competitions and dedicated initiatives for women’s hockey. Coaching is another key part of the roadmap. Local coaches are expected to receive advanced training with the assistance of foreign experts, while the national side would be given greater international exposure through overseas tours and visits by foreign teams to Pakistan. The PHF also intends to improve financial incentives for players and provide clearer career opportunities, an important step toward encouraging talented youngsters to choose hockey as a long-term profession. The roadmap envisages grassroots and infrastructure development during the first year, stronger academies and coaching programmes in the second, followed by a performance review in the third year. Wani stressed that restoring Pakistan hockey would require sustained cooperation from governments, stakeholders and the public. The challenge is formidable, but the PHF hopes its long-term approach can turn Pakistan’s once-dominant hockey tradition into a competitive future rather than another chapter of sporting nostalgia.