ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: A three-member team of journalists from China is currently visiting Pakistan, says a press release.

The team from International Business Daily, invited by the Board of Investment, is here to collect material and interview intellectuals and high-level dignitaries of the ministries concerned.

In this context, the journalists met Managing Director, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), Mohammad Habib Khan and interviewed him to find out about investment and tourism potential in Pakistan and possible joint ventures in the respective field.

Speaking to the guests, the managing director said the PTDC had been concentrating on development in the north of Pakistan. He said now energies were being diverted to the south, specially in the coastal areas where work was already in progress.

The managing director informed the team that Minister of State for Minorities and Tourism Rais Munir Ahmed had issued a directive to invest in joint ventures with China.

The team of journalists showed enthusiasm in making Pakistan a tourism-friendly destination.

They suggested preservation, rehabilitation and promotion of Gandhara Buddhist Civilization in Pakistan to attract more Chinese tourists.

The International Business Daily would issue a special supplement focusing on investment and tourism potential in Pakistan on President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s visit to China in November.

Malik Mohammad Habib Khan, deputy director, Board of Investment, Azfar Shafqat, deputy managing director (M&O), Dr Ghazanfar Mehdi, deputy managing director (D&A), Aslam Shah, general manager (P&D) and Syed Nazimuddin, manager (P&P) were also present on the occasion.