QUETTA: The Baloch­is­tan government has laun­ch­ed seven projects to promote tourism in coastal areas of the province and work on these projects is in progress.

The projects will attract not only tourists but also investors interested in investing in the coastal areas of the province.

This was said in a briefing at a meeting held here on Thursday to discuss promotion of tourism, culture and archeology and development schemes launched at tourist sites in various areas of Balochistan.

The meeting was presi­ded over by Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani and attended by Adviser to the CM on tourism and culture Abdul Khaliq Hazara, Chief Secretary of Baloch­istan Capt (retd) Fazeel Asghar, Additional Chief Secretary Planning and Development Abdul Saboor Kakar and the secretary of culture and tourism.

The meeting was infor­med that a master plan had been prepared for promotion of tourism and culture and work on eco-tourism resorts was under way at seven places in the coastal areas of the province.

The participants were briefed about feasibility and construction of cultural complexes in different areas of the province at a cost of Rs50 million.

“Model beach parks will be established at Gadani, Kund Malir, Ormara, Pasni and Gwadar to provide maximum facilities to tourists,” the tourism secretary told the meeting, adding that the master plans for Ziarat and Shaban valleys had also been prepared.

Chief Minister Alyani said that tourism offices should be set up at divisional levels, tourism information centers should be opened on major highways and signs on tourist spots and culture should be installed on the highways.

He said that competitions in various fields of art should be organised across Balochistan.

Referring to the importance of archeological sites in the province, the chief minister said that concrete steps should be taken by the departments concerned for their protection and discovering more such sites.

He pointed out that Balochistan already had Mehrgarh archeological site which belonged to a seven thousand years old civilization.

He said that promotion of tourism, arts and culture would highlight the positive image of Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2021