KP set to become tourist hub, says CM

By Bureau report
May 22, 2019

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is set to become the tourist hub of the country as the government is making all-out efforts to promote the tourism sector.

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The chief minister was speaking at the fourth meeting of the Task Force on Tourism on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by Senior Minister Muhammad Atif Khan, Minister for Information Shaukat Ali Yousafzai, Minister for Local Government Shahram Khan Tarakai, Minister for C&W Akbar Ayub, Chief Secretary Muhammad Saleem Khan, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Shahab Ali Shah and other officials, said a handout.

The chief minister issued instructions to all concerned departments to take initiatives aimed not only at maximising the inflow of tourists but also to ensure that they were properly facilitated at every level.

He stated that the district administrations in collaboration with the local authorities and TMAs should ensure proper waste disposal and cleanliness in the touristic valleys of Galiyat, Naran, Kalam and Chitral so as to keep the local environment clean and green. The chief minister also directed the Health Department to ensure availability of doctors and medicine in all BHUs and RHCs along with the provision of mobile health facilities in the touristic valleys of Abbottabad, Mansehra, Swat and Chitral in the forthcoming summer.

He was informed that previously tourists were hesitant to visit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to lack of government arrangements and facilities.

In comparison, last year witnessed a huge influx of tourists who thronged the scenic valleys of the province owing to extended facilitation of visitors by concerned departments. The chief minister was informed that to provide special security to the visiting tourists, the Police Department would deploy tourist police to ensure proper Traffic Management Plan so as to avoid traffic congestions.

The police will not only help in providing security but will also help in facilitating the incoming visitors. The deployment of police was expected to initiate from Eidul Fitr onwards which would help ensure the safety of tourists and smooth flow of traffic in the scenic valleys of the province especially in Galiyat, Naran, Kalam and Chitral valleys.

Healthy ecosystems importance underlined

The theme for International Day for Biological Diversity, being marked today, focuses on biodiversity as a catalyst for transforming food systems and improving human health.

According to a press release, issued by the Public Health Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, theme underlines awareness about the dependency of our food systems, nutrition, and health on biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.

The association is a body of public health experts, which aims to influence the health policies, promotes preventive practices and health. The press release said the theme also celebrates the diversity provided by our natural ecosystems for human existence and well-being on Earth, while contributing to Sustainable Development Goals, including climate change mitigation and adaptation, ecosystems restoration, cleaner water and zero hunger, etc.

In the last 100 years, over 90 percent of crop varieties have disappeared from farmers’ fields. Half of the breeds of many domestic animals have been lost, and all of the world’s 17 main fishing regions are being extracted above their sustainable limits.

The local variety of food production systems are under threat, including indigenous, traditional products. With this decline, agro-biodiversity is disappearing, and also essential knowledge of traditional medicine and local foods.

The press release said the loss of diverse diets is directly linked to diseases or health risk factors, such as diabetes, obesity and malnutrition, and has a direct impact on the availability of traditional medicines.

Building upon collective ideas we can mobilize action around public concerns on health, nutrition, and food systems, together with awareness on how to conserve and sustainability use biodiversity for our well-being. The nexus between biodiversity, ecosystems, and the provision of benefits to human health are central to our common agenda for sustainable development.

This focus provides an opportunity to generate discussions on ways to support the post-2020 process for a global biodiversity framework and to help “reverse the curve of biodiversity loss by 2030”.

Four cops reshuffled

Four police officers were transferred and posted on Tuesday.

A notification issued by the Central Police Office on Tuesday said Gul Nawaz Khan was posted as acting SP Investigation Karak while Tayyab Jan was posted as DSP Sheikh Maltoon. Also, Jan Zada was posted as DSP Investigation Mardan and Jamilur Rahman named DSP Traffic, Mardan.

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