Punjab okays first tourism policy

LAHORE: Punjab Cabinet has approved the first tourism policy that would be announced in current month while soon a mobile application would be introduced for the assistance of tourists and enabling them to access and find tourism sites and facilities of accommodation through it.

This was stated in a meeting of Chief Minister’s Special Monitoring Unit chaired by Minister for Finance Makhdoom Jawan Bakht here Wednesday.

The meeting was held to review the performance of Youth Affairs, Sports, Archaeology and Tourism (YASAT) Department. Minister for YASAT Rai Taimoor Bhatti, Finance Secretary Abdulla Sumbal, SMU head Fazeel Asif, Lahore Deputy Commissioner Mujtaba Pracha, the member planning and development for YASAT and other representatives from the department attended the meeting. The YASAT minister directed the secretary to draw a plan for next one year and also a five years plan to increase cultural and tourism activities. The minister added that good books and research papers must be the part of e-library. He added that Archaeology Department should make the historical places more attractive for tourists.

He also directed the officers concerned to complete infrastructure of sports complexes which had been pending for years. He said, “Punjab government is introducing the concept of sports schools to enhance our participation in Olympics and international sports competitions.”

For that purpose, separate schools will be established and facilities would also be provided to the existing schools and colleges, he added. He said that through a transparent procedure the tradition of sports competitions would continue at the divisional, district and union council level. He said the government was making reforms in Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab.

Meanwhile, a meeting in connection with promoting Islamic tourism was held at the Tourism Office here. It was chaired by Provincial Minister for Tourism and Sports Rai Taimoor Hussain Bhatti. It was decided during the meeting that a modern bus service for the promotion of Islamic tourism would be launched. It was also decided that the Islamic tourism project would start from Lahore and later its scope would be extended to Multan and then to the rest of the province.

The minister was briefed that modern bus service was being launched for the visit of 30 sacred places in Lahore, including Darbar Hazrat Bibi Pak Daman, Darbar Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh, Darbar Hazrat Peer Makki, Darbar Hazrat Shah Jamal, Darbar Hazrat Mian Meer, Darbar Hazrat Madhu Lal Shah Hussain, Darbar Hazrat Shah Muhammad Ghous, Darbar Hazrat Shah Abdul Mali, Darbar Hazrat Shah Chiragh, Darbar Hazrat Dars Barry Mian, Darbar Hazrat Hussain Zanjani and Darbar Hazrat Shah Anayat Qadri. Removal of encroachments, patchwork, parking and other issues were also discussed.

Rai Taimoor Bhatti directed the authorities concerned to take special measures for ensuring foolproof security for the tourists, availability of potable water and clean rest rooms. He also directed them to establish a resource centre and make arrangements for availability of security guards and tourists guides.