ISLAMABAD: Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani has requested Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief MinisterAli Amin Gandapur to join hands in transforming Gandhara into an international role model for faith tourism, with the active collaboration of all federal and provincial stakeholders.

In a letter addressed to the chief minister, Dr Vankwani said the bill was a move to develop coordination between the federal government and the provinces to promote and market Gandhara heritage as part of Pakistani culture, which would help increase revenue through the systematic arrival of international pilgrims.

The letter was in response to criticism by certain quarters, including the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, over the recent ‘Gandhara Corridor’ introduced by Dr Vankwani in the National Assembly.

Dr Vankwani said there was no conspiracy to snatch or take administrative control of the Gandhara civilisation from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said the bill was an attempt at exploring opportunities for strengthening Pakistan’s economy as well as projecting a positive image of the country, as establishing a high-level facilitation centre at the federal level to promote Gandhara faith pilgrimage with the collaboration of provinces would not violate the 18th Amendment, which ensured provincial autonomy.

The letter by Dr Vankwani further added that Gandhara should not only be limited to the remains or archaeological sites, as Gandhara civilisation was actually based on tolerance, harmony and brotherhood among different faiths, communities and segments of human society.

“The Gandhara civilisation comprises several historical archaeological sites spread across Pakistan and has the potential to attract the followers of Dharmic religions of the subcontinent, including Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism,” it added.

Dr Vankwani had been spearheading the campaign to promote Gandhara tourism, and while serving as chairman of the Prime Minister’s Taskforce on Gandhara Tourism, he identified 50 potential Gandhara sites in all provinces, which already included Mohenjodaro remains and stupas located in Sindh as well.

Out of 50 sites, 38 are related to Buddhism, 10 to Hinduism and two belong to Jainism. He said the proposed Gandhara Corridor would also demonstrate that the state of Pakistan supported non-Muslims to enjoy religious freedom, as guaranteed in the Constitution and international laws.

“I would like to request you to kindly arrange my meeting with all the stakeholders of KP under your leadership at the CM House, Peshawar, on a priority basis to address the reservations that have arisen regarding the Gandhara Bill,” the letter added.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2024