Scenic areas to open homes to tourists

K-P's Mezban scheme offers interest-free loans to turn private homes into tourist accommodation

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Thursday distributed cheques for interest-free loans at a ceremony held at the Chief Minister House under the provincial government's flagship "Mezban" programme.

The event marked the second phase of the initiative, during which interest-free loan cheques worth Rs81 million were handed over to 59 successful applicants. Officials briefed the gathering that in the first phase, 36 applicants had received interest-free loans amounting to Rs72 million.

Under the Mezban programme, local residents are being provided interest-free loans of up to Rs3 million. The total cost of the programme stands at Rs3.95 billion, while Rs2 billion has been allocated in the budget for the current financial year. The programme has been launched in Swat, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Upper Chitral, Lower Chitral, Abbottabad and Mansehra.

The primary objective of the initiative is to facilitate tourists' accommodation in private homes while creating sustainable employment opportunities for local communities.

Addressing the ceremony, the chief minister said the provincial government was taking concrete steps to promote tourism in line with Imran Khan's vision. He said the vision focused on investing in people so they could prosper themselves and contribute to the stability of the national economy, adding that the Mezban programme was a practical manifestation of this approach.

He said the programme was providing residents of tourist districts with opportunities to earn a livelihood while simultaneously highlighting the province's tourism potential. "Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has immense tourism capacity, and the government is working to utilise this potential for the province's economic stability," he said, expressing hope that beneficiaries of the programme would play a key role in achieving these goals.

The chief minister stressed that tourists should feel a sense of warmth, dignity and respect during their stay. "Along with earning income, we must also give and earn respect. Tourists are guests of both the government and the hosts, and therefore quality facilities must be ensured," he added.

He informed that 125 individuals had been selected under the scheme, of whom 89 have already received interest-free loans. He reiterated that the selection process was conducted strictly on merit, emphasising that merit and transparency were core policies of the provincial government and no compromise had been made in this regard.

Commenting on the political situation, the chief minister said the public had been facing hardships since the regime change, with inflation rising continuously. He said those who had "usurped the public mandate" should reflect on the country's direction, adding that their interests were in conflict with public welfare.

Referring to an IMF report, he claimed that corruption amounting to Rs5.3 trillion had been identified. He expressed concern that the federal government was not releasing the province's outstanding dues while indulging in lavish spending, resulting in discriminatory treatment of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.