PESHAWAR, Dec 6: Officials have been directed to focus on developing tourist and archaeological sites to make the Sarhad Tourism Corporation a profit-making entity. The orders were issued by NWFP Minister for Sports, Tourism, Archaeology and IT Hussain Ahmad Kanju while presiding over a meeting to review the performance of the culture, tourism, and archaeology departments here on Wednesday. The meeting was also attended by sports secretary A. Jalil Khan, deputy secretary Mohammad Ali Sheikh, managing director of the STC Khushdil Khan Khattak, director of museums Saleh Muhammad and in-charge of the culture department Majeedul Hassan.

The minister was briefed about the pace of work on construction of sports stadiums and cultural facilities in Peshawar, Bannu and Chitral besides developing Sheikh Badin, Kund Park and Fizagut resorts.

He directed the officials to accelerate the pact of work on taking over the control of the provincial heritage from the federal government, adding that special attention was being given to the promotion of culture, archaeology and museums as these were related to the promotion of tourism. He said that the MMA government was planning to make Takhtbhai, Shahbaz Garhi and Taxila ruins on the NWFP side more attractive for tourists.