A valuable source of revenue made victim of neglect
Pakistan is a blend of natural lush green valleys, meadows, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, islands, glaciers, lakes, forests, deserts and fauna. It is full of historical places and is blessed with around 700-km long coastal line. It has beautiful golden beaches and best ports. It has all the weathers, seasons and ranges of three major mountains. It has many distinctive animals and birds. It has gorgeous places for skating and skiing. It has natural tourist places like the real paradise on Earth, the Neelum Valley, Mini Switzerland, the Swat Valley, the Mountains’ Kingdom, the Hunza valley, unique cultural Kalash valley, Kaghan, Ziarat, Jhelum valleys, Murree hills, Shandur Pas, Rawala Kot and the list goes on. It has all the types of tourism whether archaeological, religious, adventurous or conventional. But unfortunately, this natural opportunity is polluted by a worsening law and order situation, energy crisis, mismanagement, corruption, inept bureaucracy, least means of communication and cleanliness.
Tourism sector remained with the Ministry of Railways till 1955 when it was transferred to Ministry of Commerce until the Tourism Bureau was conceived in 1960. It remained its part when in 1964 it was made the part of Civil Aviation Department. In 1972 with the creation of Tourism Development Corporation of Pakistan (TDCP) and Ministry of Tourism, tourism got a place in policy making but shortly it was disbanded in 1976 and tourism again came under the Ministry of Commerce. From 1977 to 1996, tourism remained the part of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism but in 2004 a separate Ministry of Tourism was created again and was made responsible for policy formulation, development, promotion and marketing both here and abroad as well as coordination among the centre and the provinces in this regard. Under the 18th amendment, the Tourism Ministry is devolved to the provinces which are not taking firm steps to boast it up. Thus the sector since the inception of the country has been neglected, desolated and alienated, and continues to be treated so. This estranged attitude has really harmed the development of tourism in the country.
The Kalash countryside in Chitral is comprised of three uniquely stunning valleys: Bumboret, Birir and Rumbur. These valleys have always fascinated tourists, anthropologists and historians with their different origins and looks, colourful festivals and unmatchable customs and rituals. But nowadays, these valleys have become commercialised where purity is fading and the Kalashi community is facing threats by the locals, especially from the Afghan border side who are forcing them to convert to Islam. The roads there are not in a good condition as well. Summer palace in Chitral is another wonderful place with thousands of trees of pine nuts and around two thousand Markhors with one of the highest jogging tracks. Markhors are unlawfully hunted and sold out, which results in reducing their number. Again the road that leads to the Summer palace is waiting for the administrators.
Pakistan is the only country which is host to three of the world’s biggest and most spectacular mountain ranges, the Himalaya, the Karakoram and the Hindukush which consist of several hundred peaks. The convergence of these three ranges at Jaglot, an area around 40km away from Gilgit is an exclusive geographical feature on the planet. Among a total of 14 peaks with more than 8000 metre height in the world, five are in Pakistan which are K-2, Gasherbrum 1, Gasherbrum 2, Broad Peak and Nanga Parbat. The said mountain ranges have 160 peaks above 7,000 metres and around 700 peaks above 6,000 metres that really attract the climbers from all over the world.
Historical and archaeological places here are prey to devastation and destruction. UNESCO has taken some measures to include such places in its World Heritage programme and is trying to preserve and restore them to their original shape but our government is not taking any interest in the same. The work started for the restitution is very slow. Tourists are disappointed when they observe the shattered condition of such places.
Tourists are the ambassadors of peace and harmony but here in our country there are many instances where tourists have been physically assaulted, robbed, abducted and sexually harassed which on one hand has portrayed negative image of the country, while on the other it has reduced country’s revenues. Tourism has become limited to a few cities as tourists are afraid of visiting Malakand division and other such places due to security threats. The fall of tourist sites and archaeological places at the hands of extremists, especially in FATA and KP has barred both the locals and the foreigners to visit. PTDC is performing poorly and the government’s decision to privatise it is unwise and a solid proof of its apathy and incompetence.
Revitalisation of the collapsed tourism mixed with community based sustainable eco-tourism can better address the failing sector. WWF-P is doing remarkable work regarding the promotion of eco-tourism but it is in dire need of state patron-hood. The travelogues of Mustansar Hussain Tarar and other many local and foreign tourists and authors are really a great contribution in this regard. Locals are very hospitable but the state is not. Attainment of NOC is almost made obligatory for the foreign tourists to visit any area but it takes long time to get it due to red-tapism.
The dilapidated tourism infrastructure, the meagre facilities, the untapped and unexplored tourism places, inappropriate, costly, jarring and bumpy means of communication and transportation, incompetent management and non-technical hierarchy, the filthy tourist places, exploitation and overcharging, dejected coordination, terrorisation and pitiable emergency evacuation are the major challenges that need to be dealt with abruptly. Our foreign office and embassies spread all over the world can play a pivotal role by making the country’s image better, arranging tourism shows and improving the marketing of the unique cultures and tourism potentials. Leaders and executives should visit these places time and again and take strong measures to uplift this forsaken sector which can generate more than one billion dollars. Universities should start regular courses on tourism. Civic and hotel facilities should be enhanced. Public-private partnership ought to be given due place as well as PIA should start a special and cheaper service for the tourists.
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