TAXILA: National Tourism Coordination Board Chairman and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bokhari on Sunday called for better upkeep of minorities’ places of religious importance to tap religious tourism potential.

He expressed these views during a visit to Gurdwara Punja Sahib Hassanabdal. Deputy Commissioner Attock Ali Anan Qammar, Assistant Commissioner Adnan Anjum Raja, District Police Officer Syed Khalid Hamdani, officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee were also present.

The officials briefed Mr Bokhari about the future plans and proposals regarding the uplift and facilities for visiting Sikh pilgrims at the temple.

Mr Bokhari said the government was desirous to achieve one of its strategic goals to promote tourism and attract international and domestic tourists by providing them quality standards in the hospitality sector, helping in more revenue generation to be spent for the development and enrichment of the tourism industry.

He said the PTI government was determined to promote religious tourism and in this connection all-out efforts were being made to tap religious tourism potential.

“The PTI government has also planned to revive all shrines for the promotion of religious tourism.”

He said the prime minister’s vision was to promote tolerance, interfaith harmony and facilitate the followers of all religions to practice their rituals with comfort.

Officials of local administration briefed him about beautification, rehabilitation and uplift of the Sikh temple. He directed proper management of sacred water and its proper preservation. He urged diversion of sewage and floodwater from the Sikh temple so that sanity of the holy water may be preserved. He directed the officials of the district administration for widening and beautification of roads leading to the temple.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2020