For the sake of faith

This refers to the article titled ‘Faith tourism’ (Oct 12) by Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani. The writer has rightly asserted that faith tourism is an important segment of both international and domestic tourism. The places like the Hinglaj Temple in Balochistan attract not only Hindus, but also those who adhere to sufi principles. The great Sindhi poet, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, had visited this site and mentioned the temple in his poetry. In Sindh, there are several attractive religious sites that have value as tourism spots. Quite a large number of Hindus from India, the US and Canada visit the sacred place of Sadh Belo temple in Sukkur. The shrines of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and Sachal Sarmast are also significant attractions for both international and domestic tourists.

There is a tremendous potential for the expansion of faith tourism in Sindh. The government should take necessary measures including setting up of tourist-friendly hostels in places like Sukkur, Daraza Sharif, Bhit Shah and Sehwan Sharif to attract more foreign visitors.

Sada Hayat Jalbani

Karachi