F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: The Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) for the first time in the history of province organized a joyful day-long safari train trip from Peshawar to Attock Khurd for the transgender community on Tuesday.
TCKP Senior General Manager Syed Hayat Ali Shah and In-charge Marketing and Media Hassina Shaukat welcomed the picnickers on the platform of historic Peshawar Cantonment Railway Station with bouquets and floral garlands before the train left for its destination at 9am.
TransAction President Farzana Jan, General Secretary Arzo, Chairman Sikh community Radesh Singh Toni, Civil Society member Taimur Kamal, Zahoor Durrani and others were also present on the occasion.
Attock Khurd, located in Attock district of Punjab, houses the historical Attock Fort built by the Mughal King Akbar in 1581. Bahram ki Baradari is another Mughal-era monument situated at the ridge of mountains on the southern side of the Grand Trunk Road near Attock Khurd.
“We provided transgenders a unique opportunity to avail an outing while simultaneously becoming aware of the rich heritage of the country,” Senior General Manager Hayat Ali Shah told media as the decorated train started chugging towards the historic Attock Khurd.
The official said that this time the train tour had been arranged for the transgerders so that they could also enjoy recreational and entertainment opportunities.
In-charge Marketing and Media Hassina Shaukat said that the activity was at revitalizing the train trip to historical sites such as Attock Khurd, Attock Bridge, Attock Fort, Indus River, promote the importance and awareness of tourism among the transgender community and their families and build a baseline for the domestic tourism.
She said that the TCKP was starting a training programme for the tour guides in which the members of transgender community would also be included to get training.
The official added that they had also arranged train tours for the minority communities in the past and would do so in future so that they could also be apprised of our history, heritage and culture and tourist places.
The picnickers enjoyed the excursion when they passed through various railway stations including Pabbi, Nowshera, Khushal Kot, Akora Khattak, Jehangira, Indus River and Attock Bridge.
They were also briefed about the historic perspective of the train track and various railway stations.
As part of the joyride, the picnickers greatly amused with live instrumental music on this joyful excursion.
A number of fun filled recreational activities and competitions were also arranged at the river bank like kite flying, camel ride, tug-of-war, uphill race, archery and making selfies.
Hailing the TCKP initiative, TransAction President Farzana Jan said that it was a good approach of the authorities to boost domestic tourism and provide entertainment opportunity to her community.
She said it was a source of enjoyment and learning experience for the people belonging to the hitherto neglected community and urged that other government departments should also follow in the steps of TCKP.
The historical tourist resort complex of Attock Khurd is situated on the eastern bank of Indus River near the old iron girder bridge built in 1883, which connects Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab.
The Old British Railway Station built around 1880 with its magnificent stone masonry and beautiful Victorian architecture is set in a hilly backdrop of an area steeped in the romance of history.
The British established the North Western Railway Attock Khurd Resort as a popular fishing spot and hunting ground for the black partridge and wild fox. On the Western Bank is a tall First World War memorial in the shape of a .303 bullet.
It was built in the memory of the men of the 40th Pathan Regiment which took part in the Great World War. The Mughal Emperor Akbar built the grand Attock Fort in 1518 AD.
