ISLAMABAD: Old age is associated with chronic diseases and dependency on others for daily needs but a 70-year-old thrill-seeker and entrepreneur of a cycling club Khawaja Zaheeruddin has challenged the odds of life and cycles 25-30km every day for a public cause.

He runs two exclusive free-for-all cycling clubs in the capital for men and women, aimed at challenging the orthodox mindset, creating awareness on the importance of health and environment and removing social hindrances that hamper the mobility and impose restrictions on active role of the women in society.

“We always give examples of European countries of building cycle lanes, providing cycles on rent and feeling no embarrassment for riding the cheapest mode of transport but have never tried to present our own role model to the nation to follow,” Zaheeruddin said.

Establishing more branches of cycling club in other big cities of the country, he is determined to create awareness among people that by merely cycling they may turn a new leaf in their lives and can remain fit and healthy for long.

Zaheeruddin claimed to cover a distance of 100km conveniently on a bicycle at a stretch and had travelled from Islamabad to Lahore and Gilgit to Hunza. The other cycling trips he has already made are to Patriata, Angora, Kallar Kahar, Katas Raj, Khan Pur and Simli dams. He gathers the bicycle riders and members of the club in Fatima Jinnah Park where after getting into their cycling attire and wearing safety gear, they cycle for thrill, tourism and raising awareness.

Narrating his past, Zaheeruddin told he was born in Bara Mula, Srinagar in 1949 and grew up in Lahore. “I started my professional career as a pharmaceutical and earned a great fame through hard work and commitment later in 1980. Then I went to Saudi Arabia to work for IBM.” he recalled.

His multilingualism helped him to be a tourist guide and he also taught languages and entrepreneurship skills to students in USA and Pakistan. His fluency in Bengali earned him a chance to serve as Pakistani ambassador in Bangladesh.

“In 1997, I shifted to Houston, USA with my family and continued my job as a business consultant and IT expert. I bought cycles for my whole family including spouse and did not discontinue cycling in USA. I loved to explore the natural splendour and beauty across the world and had seen around 52 countries but the beauty I had found in my own country is unprecedented, so I decided to explore the northern areas on a bicycle,” he said.

“Even female members join us on different thrilling ventures,” he added.

Zaheeruddin wishes Pakistan would adopt European standards and build exclusively dedicated cycling lanes in every city of the country, which may invite more and more people to join the activity.

He said his club would provide cycles for Metro bus stations in Islamabad so the common people would have an easy access to the cheapest and environment healthy ride. Moreover, the club would hold workshops in schools, colleges and universities to shatter the class-system and train the youth as eco-guards.

Zaheeruddin’s efforts have been recognised by the Pakistan Cycling Federation and he has been dully acknowledged and given coverage by national and International media as a role model, serving for a greater cause of humanity.

“It’s my sincere recommendation to all and sundry to ride a bicycle to get rid of self-invited ailments and to live a comfortable healthy life,” he said.