F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, has termed the promotion of tourism sector as one of the top priority areas of his government, stating that there are immense opportunities for the promotion of tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the merged districts; and the current provincial government is taking steps under a comprehensive strategy to effectively utilize these opportunities with the aim to create employment opportunities for the local people as well as to enhance the province’s revenue.
He further stated that the tourism sector can be developed on modern lines to make the province financially self-sufficient. He was speaking as the chief guest at the Tourism Excellence Award ceremony organized by Tourism Department at Nishtar Hall Peshawar the other day to mark World Tourism Day.
The Chief Minister said that the current provincial government, in line with Imran Khan’s vision, is working to simultaneously promote all sectors of tourism and attract maximum tourists by providing them necessary facilities and developing new tourist destinations in the province adding that as a result of these efforts, over ten million domestic and foreign tourists have visited the province’s tourist sites so far this year. Ali Amin Gandapur emphasized that law and order was essential for the promotion of tourism, and the provincial government is taking serious steps to improve the current security situation in the province, especially in the merged districts.
While paying tribute to the role of the security forces and police in maintaining peace in the province, he paid tributes to the martyrs of the Pakistan Army and police who sacrificed their lives for peace in the country and the province. Ali Amin Gandapur said that the provincial government was working day and night to develop potential sectors to make the province financially independent, and tourism is one of those key sectors which the provincial government is focusing on adding that the provincial government is working on different initiatives including construction of access roads to touristdestinations, construction of rest areas, establishment of Integrated Tourism Zones, Tourism Police, Tourism Helpline etc, which are yielding significant results.
The Chief Minister said that it was the responsibility of the government to provide opportunities to the youth, and make them financially independent, and for this purpose, the current provincial government has launched various initiatives. On this occasion, the Chief Minister announced that 100% of the income from Nishtar Hall would be spent on the welfare of deserving artists.
He also distributed Excellence Awards to individuals with contributions for the promotion of toursim in the province. Speaking on this occassion, Advisor to Chief Minister on Tourism, Zahid Chen Zeb, hilighted the provincial government’s efforts to promote tourism and cultural activities. Earlier, the Chief Minister also inaugurated Culture Complex established in Nishtar Hall at a cost of 117 million rupees.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has directed the quarters concerned to digitize all the official business of food department including procurement of wheat its transportation and storage at provincial reserve centers.
He was chairing a meeting of Food Department here the other day, attended by the Provincial Minister for Food Zahir Shah Toru, Secretary Food Saqib Aslam Raza and other senior officials of food department.
The meeting deliberated upon various matters including provincial government’s course of action in the context of federal government’s decision to dissolve Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) and it was decided to include a scheme in upcoming Annual Development Program (ADP) for enhancing the wheat storage capacity of the provincial government. In the meeting, it was also agreed that, in case of dissolution of PASSCO, a guarantee will be sought from Federal and Punjab Governments that no ban shall be imposed on inter-provincial transportation of wheat & wheat flour, adding that the matter would be taken up in Council of Common Interest (CCI).
