PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister for Tourism Atif Khan has said that a huge sum of Rs5 billion has been approved for construction of roads to new tourist destinations in Malakand and Hazara divisions to help promote tourism.

The minister said that in the first phase, 14 roads would be constructed in both the divisions.

He added that construction work on the road projects would be started from January next year. He announced the decisions while speaking at a meeting here on Sunday, according to a statement.

The road projects would be executed in Ankara, Marghzar, Burj Banda, Kafir Banda, Madin, Bashigram, Erin, Darhal, Godar Lake and Bahrain in Swat; and Mahnur Valley, Ganol, Poppering, Shogran, Kora Bin, Mandi Sairan, Komal Gali and Suhra in Hazara division.

The senior minister said that second phase of the mega project would also be started soon. He said that due to the government’s effective tourism strategy, the coming year would prove to be good for the tourism promotion.

He said a famous London magazine had declared Pakistan the best place for travel and tourism in 2020.

The minister said that the magazine suggested 20 best places for tourism in 2020, and Pakistan was placed at the top position in the list. The magazine reported that tourism sector had suffered a lot due to poor law and order situation in Pakistan for the last two decades, but now the situation was satisfactory and tourists visited Pakistan without fear, the minister said while quoting the magazine

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2019