LAHORE, Jan 6: The provincial government is planning to develop Fort Munro as a recreational resort in southern Punjab like Murree, Tourism Minister Aslam Iqbal told the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday.

He said a feasibility report of the project was in progress, while some of the matters regarding the scheme had already been finalized. "Now people of southern Punjab will not have to travel for around nine hours to reach Murree for spending their vacation as they will have the same recreational facilities available at a two-and-a-half hours drive in Dera Ghazi Khan district."

He said he had visited the site three months ago and sorted out four major problems required to be resolved to turn it into a recreational resort. These were widening of roads, tree plantation, provision of potable water and expansion in the incumbent resort, he informed the House in response to a request made by Mohsin Leghari through an out-of-turn resolution. Aleem Shah supported him.