July 18, 2008	Friday	Rajab 14, 1429

RAWALPINDI, July 17: The government has decided to make Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) more competitive and energetic in order to attract domestic as well as foreign tourists in the country.

The first meeting of the re-constituted board of directors was chaired by the Federal Minister for Water and Power and Tourism, Raja Pervez Ashraf, and attended by Secretary Tourism, Dr Shahzad Qaiser; Managing Director of PTDC and representatives of public and private sectors in the area of tourism. The board constituted a three-member technical committee to make recommendations with a view to converting PTDC more viable and tourist-friendly organisation.

The committee is consisted of Mr. Omer Khan Afridi, former federal secretary, Chief Secretary, Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Javed Majeed and Mr. Iqbal Waljis.

The meeting also discussed three mega projects to promote tourism in the country. These projects: Gadani Beach; Islamabad Camping Site; and Tourism Complex in Islamabad will be completed under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

Infrastructure Project Development Facility (IPDF) gave a detailed presentation on public-private partnership for development of tourism industry. The minister and board appreciated the efforts made by the IPDF and asked it to further work on this project and submit comprehensive report in this respect in the next meeting of the board.

Secretary Tourism, Dr Shahzad Qaiser later toldDawn that the board had decided that the PTDC should maintain its 10 to 15 motels out of the 26 motels which are the main source of earnings for the Corporation. In this regard, the Privatization Commission was being approached not to process these motels in the public interest.

Dr Shahzad further said that the Board had also decided to seek permission from the government to develop tourist sites at 7 locations for the promotion of tourism. These locations owned by PTDC are located in Azad Kashmir, Northern Areas and Sindh, he said.