ANP questions K-P govt's tourism development
JI lawmaker received Rs22 million during his tenure but failed to build any roads, says Atif
K-P Assembly. PHOTO: AFP
PESHAWAR:
During the question-answer session, Awami National Party (ANP) Parliamentary Leader Sardar Hussain Babak asked about the tourism projects being undertaken by the government.
K-P Tourism Minister Atif Khan said that the province has great potential for tourism and that the government will spend Rs20 billion to develop some 25 tourist resorts across the province.
Moreover, the senior minister said that the government has earmarked Rs5 billion for making roads at 22 sites. Further, Rs12 billion of Rs15 billion to be provided by the World Bank — under the KITE programme to boost tourism — will be utilised to build roads in the scenic valleys of Swat, Malakand and Hazara divisions.
A further Rs500 million have been allocated for making the Sheikh Badin tourist site in Dera Ismail Khan accessible to the public.
Atif said that the government will build the infrastructure while private parties will operate the tourist spots. Moreover, he said that four tourists zones will be established in the province in Mankiyal, Swat, Thandiyani and Chitral and investors will be provided facilities under the one-window operation.
“We will not let it turn into the Saddar Bazaar of Rawalpindi,” he stated, adding that land for these spots will be properly planned.
He added that Rs500 million have been allocated for making the Sheikh Badin tourist site in Dera Ismail Khan accessible to the public. Minority member Ranjit Singh demanded the construction of Samana Road in Orakzai Agency. Atif responded to him by stating that the government was working within the means it had, adding that it was hard to wrest authority from government officers.
Despite that, he assured that the feasibility for constructing the road will be prepared within 20 days. When Inayatullah and Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Sahibzada Sanaullah drew the attention of the tourism minister towards the construction of a road in the Kumrat valley to facilitate tourists, Atif remarked that the JI lawmaker had received Rs22 million during his tenure but failed to build any roads.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2019.
During the question-answer session, Awami National Party (ANP) Parliamentary Leader Sardar Hussain Babak asked about the tourism projects being undertaken by the government.
K-P Tourism Minister Atif Khan said that the province has great potential for tourism and that the government will spend Rs20 billion to develop some 25 tourist resorts across the province.
Moreover, the senior minister said that the government has earmarked Rs5 billion for making roads at 22 sites. Further, Rs12 billion of Rs15 billion to be provided by the World Bank — under the KITE programme to boost tourism — will be utilised to build roads in the scenic valleys of Swat, Malakand and Hazara divisions.
A further Rs500 million have been allocated for making the Sheikh Badin tourist site in Dera Ismail Khan accessible to the public.
Atif said that the government will build the infrastructure while private parties will operate the tourist spots. Moreover, he said that four tourists zones will be established in the province in Mankiyal, Swat, Thandiyani and Chitral and investors will be provided facilities under the one-window operation.
“We will not let it turn into the Saddar Bazaar of Rawalpindi,” he stated, adding that land for these spots will be properly planned.
He added that Rs500 million have been allocated for making the Sheikh Badin tourist site in Dera Ismail Khan accessible to the public. Minority member Ranjit Singh demanded the construction of Samana Road in Orakzai Agency. Atif responded to him by stating that the government was working within the means it had, adding that it was hard to wrest authority from government officers.
Despite that, he assured that the feasibility for constructing the road will be prepared within 20 days. When Inayatullah and Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Sahibzada Sanaullah drew the attention of the tourism minister towards the construction of a road in the Kumrat valley to facilitate tourists, Atif remarked that the JI lawmaker had received Rs22 million during his tenure but failed to build any roads.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2019.