STDC holds second meeting in 23 years since establishment
Tourism minister accepts negligence on behalf of government
Archeologists warn that if nothing is done to protect Pakistan's Mohenjo Daro ruins -- already neglected and worn by time -- it will fade to dust and obscurity, never taking its rightful place in history. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
The Sindh Tourism Development Corporation (STDC), which is supposed to promote tourism in the province, has held only two meeting in the last 23 years. Official sources from the tourism department told The Express Tribune that the corporation was set up in 1994 with motives to take important decisions for Sindh's tourism but its first board meeting was held in 2008, as no one was interested in working on its objectives.
"Today, after 23 years, we have held a second meeting and decided to revamp STDC," an official in the tourism department said, adding that many tourist spots and historical places come under the corporation but all of them are getting ruined with the passage of time.
Rs2.88b allocated for culture, antiquities in Sindh
Keenjhar Lake rest houses and Haleeji Motel in Thatta, Lal Shahbaz Motel and Shah Saddar Motel in Sehwan, Sambara Inn Hotel in Larkana, Mohenjo Daro Motel, Paradise Point and Hawke's Bay in Karachi, Lakhi in Sehwan, Marvi Motel Mitti in Tharparkar are among other places which are deteriorating with the negligence of relevant department.
"Chief minister (CM) has been the chairperson of the STDC board and is supposed to chair meetings to make important decisions for promoting the industry and build tourist spots but no CM took the task seriously," sources said, adding that the funds, worth millions of rupees, generated from available tourists spots have been bungled by officials.
Sindh's historical sites to be explored after Eid
"We have around 16 motels and tourist information centres but majority of them are either lying nonfunctional or are in bad conditions," a senior official from the tourism department said, adding that the funds recovered from tourist spots are misappropriated and every successive government inducted more people to appease their party leaders.
Requesting anonymity, another official from the department said that the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has suspended the corporation's registration as the STDC board failed to convene its annual meeting and audit. "In the last 23 years, they did not pay rent of the building where STDC office is located in Karachi and no one bothered to pay utility bills," sources claimed.
‘We must come together to save Sindh’s heritage’
Tourism Minister Sardar Shah accepted the negligence on behalf of the government and said that he held a second meeting on Monday and decided to remove all employees appointed unlawfully.
"A year ago, I took charge of the department and in a short span of time we are not only renovating the existing tourist spots but will be establishing six new spots including, Rooplo Kolhi Resort in Nangarparkar," he said, adding that the motel at Manchar Lake in Sehwan, Jamshoro picking point, Rani Kott resort and motels in Badin, Sanghar and other districts are under construction.
The minister said that they had paid all outstanding dues to the water board, K-Electric and had paid the office's rent. "The SECP has restored the corporation's registration and we will make STDC an exemplary institution to generate revenue," he explained.
The Sindh Tourism Development Corporation (STDC), which is supposed to promote tourism in the province, has held only two meeting in the last 23 years. Official sources from the tourism department told The Express Tribune that the corporation was set up in 1994 with motives to take important decisions for Sindh's tourism but its first board meeting was held in 2008, as no one was interested in working on its objectives.
"Today, after 23 years, we have held a second meeting and decided to revamp STDC," an official in the tourism department said, adding that many tourist spots and historical places come under the corporation but all of them are getting ruined with the passage of time.
Rs2.88b allocated for culture, antiquities in Sindh
Keenjhar Lake rest houses and Haleeji Motel in Thatta, Lal Shahbaz Motel and Shah Saddar Motel in Sehwan, Sambara Inn Hotel in Larkana, Mohenjo Daro Motel, Paradise Point and Hawke's Bay in Karachi, Lakhi in Sehwan, Marvi Motel Mitti in Tharparkar are among other places which are deteriorating with the negligence of relevant department.
"Chief minister (CM) has been the chairperson of the STDC board and is supposed to chair meetings to make important decisions for promoting the industry and build tourist spots but no CM took the task seriously," sources said, adding that the funds, worth millions of rupees, generated from available tourists spots have been bungled by officials.
Sindh's historical sites to be explored after Eid
"We have around 16 motels and tourist information centres but majority of them are either lying nonfunctional or are in bad conditions," a senior official from the tourism department said, adding that the funds recovered from tourist spots are misappropriated and every successive government inducted more people to appease their party leaders.
Requesting anonymity, another official from the department said that the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has suspended the corporation's registration as the STDC board failed to convene its annual meeting and audit. "In the last 23 years, they did not pay rent of the building where STDC office is located in Karachi and no one bothered to pay utility bills," sources claimed.
‘We must come together to save Sindh’s heritage’
Tourism Minister Sardar Shah accepted the negligence on behalf of the government and said that he held a second meeting on Monday and decided to remove all employees appointed unlawfully.
"A year ago, I took charge of the department and in a short span of time we are not only renovating the existing tourist spots but will be establishing six new spots including, Rooplo Kolhi Resort in Nangarparkar," he said, adding that the motel at Manchar Lake in Sehwan, Jamshoro picking point, Rani Kott resort and motels in Badin, Sanghar and other districts are under construction.
The minister said that they had paid all outstanding dues to the water board, K-Electric and had paid the office's rent. "The SECP has restored the corporation's registration and we will make STDC an exemplary institution to generate revenue," he explained.