Sindh ignored in Centre’s tourism policies: Sardar Shah
"Prime Minister Imran Khan has given top priority to tourism but the federal government has not spent a single rupee for the promotion of the sector in Sindh," Minister for Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Syed Sardar Ali Shah.
He stated this on the occasion of World Tourism Day when a three-day tourism photography exhibition and competition was organised by the Sindh Tourism Department (STDC).
Addressing the closing ceremony of the exhibition held at Sambar, the first public art gallery of the Sindh Department of Culture located in Liaquat Memorial Library, Karachi, the culture minister said that the efforts of youth to promote tourism in the province was a positive step. He said that young people are capturing beauty of Sindh through their cameras and sharing it on various social media platforms all over the world.
Sindh Minister for Works and Services Syed Zia Abbas Shah was also present on the occasion.
Sardar Ali Shah said that 64 per cent of the country's population consists of youth and without the participation of youth no sector of the country can develop.
He said that the tourism sector had suffered a lot due to Covid-19. However, now after vaccination we are conducting various programmes and competitions.
Sardar said that all basic facilities have been ensured at all tourist destinations across Sindh and now federal government is required to play its role to promote the tourism in the province.
In his views, Muhammad Ali Khoso, Managing Director, Sindh Tourism Development Corporation, said that a three-day exhibition, organised by STDC, features photographs and videos created by professional, passionate and amateur photographers and videographer.
He added that STDC had received 241 entries, out of which 161 were submission for photography and judges declared 100 photographs and 37 videos suitable for the exhibition. There are currently 74 tourist photographs on display in the exibhition.
He added that in addition, 40 graphic designers participated in STDC logo designing competition and a total of 45 logos were displayed at the exhibition, in which the best logo designer was awarded as per the decision of the judges.
He said that three best photographs representing Sindh's tourism, culture and geography were given cash prizes of Rs50,000, Rs35,000 and Rs25,000 respectively.
Prize was given while the best logo designer was given a cash prize of Rs30,000.
The first prize in videography was given to Montazer Mehdi, the second prize was given to Karim Brulia and the third prize was given to Shahbaz Ali.
The first prize in photography was given to SM Rafiq, second prize went to Amjad Imdad while Kamran Nhorio bagged the third prize.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2021.