PESHAWAR, June 3: The NWFP Minister for Education and Information Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani has said that the government would do everything within its resources to promote tourism in the province.

He was speaking at the handing over ceremony of Sarhad Tourism Corporation chalets to the management of Sehrai Tourism Services at Nathiagalli, and Abbottabad on Sunday.

Secretary Information Shafiquz Zaman, Secretary Tourism Sahibzada Khalid, MD Sehrai Tourism Services Zahoor Durrani and notables of the area were also present on the occasion, said a handout.

The STC chalets had recently been rented out to Sehrai Tourism Services by the NWFP government through an open bidding for Rs65 million per annum for five years.

The minister said that all government-owned rest houses in the NWFP would sold to the private sector through open auction.

He said that through this exercise, the provincial government would not only be able to collect a handsome amount of money, but also save on the salaries of the staff and maintenance cost.

The minister said that in the past, these rest houses were being used by the political elites and government functionaries.

He also revealed that the Falaksair Hotel in Kalam which had been leased out has been abandoned for the last 14 years.