RAWALPINDI: Delegations from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan have agreed to form joint groups with the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation to promote tourism in the country.

Speaking at a luncheon arranged by the PTDC at Flashman Hotel on Friday, the delegates from the Central Asian republics said their countries would form workable and joint groups with the PTDC to promote the tourism sector in Pakistan.

The Uzbek delegation was headed by former vice prime minister and chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ikramov Adham Ilhamovich while Kyrgyz delegation was headed by deputy director National Institute of Strategic Studies Baidoletov Nuradil Esenbekovich. Georgiy Dubovtsev was heading the delegation from Kazakhstan. He is the deputy minister for Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies.

The Tajik delegation was led by Dr Khudaberdi Kholiqnazar, state minister for Centre for Strategic Studies, whereas Merdan Bayramdurdyyev, the deputy minister of finance and economy, was heading the delegation of Turkmenistan.

The Uzbekistan delegate said his country had already started flights between Lahore and Tashkent. “We are also trying to start similar flights to other cities of Pakistan.”

Kyrgyzstan Baidoletov Nuradit said Pakistan was a beautiful country which possessed a variety of indigenous cultures, high mountains, valleys, rivers and scenic beauty.

Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor, the managing director of the PTDC, said the visit of delegations would further strengthen relations between Pakistan and the Central Asian states. Pakistan is blessed with countless tourism opportunities available for all kind of tourists.

“The people of Pakistan are most hospitable and we consider the Central Asian republics as our brotherly nations. There might be a few negative stories about Pakistan but the situation is absolutely contrary and Pakistan is a completely safe and secure tourism destination for tourists from all over the world,” he said.

“We have opened our doors for tourists from around the world to come and enjoy our hospitality, see and believe that we have the most of nature blessed treasures spread all over Pakistan from Khunjerab to Karachi.”

He said a visa-on-arrival facility would be introduced for group tourists for more countries and investment opportunities/projects for joint ventures in tourism and hospitality sector of Pakistan would be launched for potential investors from CARs.

To foster the process, cooperation among national tourism agencies as well as private sector companies and provincial tourism organisations should be encouraged.

He recommended that fully sponsored scholarship opportunities should be offered to the youth in undergraduate/graduate degrees in tourism and hospitality and Central Asian countries should help Pakistan in removal of negative travel advisories issued by the western media.

The development of road link and operation of direct flights by the national airlines between Pakistan and Central Asian republics is also essential for increasing tourist flow, he said.

The PTDC on the occasion also arranged a cultural show, comprising dance performances and folk music.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2018