CM announces regularisation of tourism cops

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Tuesday announced the regularisation of Tourism Police personnel and approved an increase in their monthly salary from Rs36,000 to Rs45,000.

The announcement was made at a meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Peshawar. Several important decisions were made after deliberation on various agenda items. Provincial cabinet members, including Zahid Chun Zeb, Brigadier (Retd) Musaddiq Abbasi, and Additional Chief Secretary Planning & Development Ikramullah Khan, along with other board members, attended the meeting, said a handout.

The chief minister also directed the tourism department to take steps to identify new tourist destinations in the province. He instructed that at least four new tourism sites should be identified and a project be reflected in the upcoming ADP for their development. Highlighting the growing number of tourists, he noted that 15 million domestic and international tourists visited Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the last season, and emphasized the need to explore and develop new tourist spots. Gandapur issued directives to amend and publicize the master plan for the Thandiani Integrated Tourism Zone and emphasized the need for simultaneous construction of access roads for all integrated tourism zones.

He reiterated that tourism remained one of the province’s priority sectors, offering significant potential for job creation and investment.The board approved the establishment of finance and HR committees under the Board of Directors. Additionally, it directed the formation of outsourcing, investment, and culture committees to enhance the operational efficiency of the tourism sector.